Chapter 75 Undercurrents
Ava made her entrance into the restaurant, her eyes scanning the room for Mia. To her surprise, Mia was nowhere to be found.
A text from Mia had pinged on her phone just moments before, informing her of a slight delay. She had urged Ava to proceed and secure their table.
Guided by a waiter, Ava located their reserved spot. Her gaze fell upon a woman already seated there, and her expression froze instantly.
"Isabella?" Ava questioned, her voice icy, "What brings you here?"
Isabella, caught off guard by Ava's presence, quickly composed herself and lifted her chin in a display of arrogance. "Why, isn't it natural for a future mother-in-law to invite me to lunch?"
"Future mother-in-law? You're referring to Alex's mother?"
"Who else could it be?" Isabella replied smugly. "She reached out to me last night, proposing we have lunch today. She was quite cordial, really. It's clear she's supportive of her son's love life. It's only natural for a woman who's experienced motherhood."
Ava retorted, "So, you're insinuating that his grandmother and father are indifferent to him?"
"I never made such a claim – don't twist my words," Isabella shot back, feigning innocence.
Ava reached for her phone, intending to call Mia, but her call went unanswered. She then resorted to sending a text.
[Mom, why is Isabella here too? If you're planning a meal together, I might as well excuse myself.]
Mia's response was swift, [Don’t leave, Ava. I wanted both of you here. Just hold on, I’m almost there.]
[Mom, what's the meaning of this?]
[I’ll explain everything once I arrive. Please, don’t leave.]
Ava was at a loss to comprehend Mia's intentions. However, she conceded that if her mother-in-law had orchestrated this, there must be a reason. Reluctantly, Ava chose to stay.
After stowing her phone back into her purse, Ava took a seat opposite Isabella.
Isabella, sipping her juice, dropped a bombshell. “Alex was in a car accident. You haven’t heard, have you?”
Feigning shock, Ava inquired, “Really? When did this happen?”
“A few days ago. I’ve been by his side ever since.”
Ava's hand clenched in her lap, but she managed to maintain a courteous smile. “You’ve had a tough time, then.”
“It’s nothing. After all, Alex and I are soon to be wed. More importantly, he had the accident because of me. He was fatigued from caring for me when I was ill,” Isabella's hand fluttered to her chest, her face a picture of distress. “Thank goodness he's alright. If not, I don't know what I'd do. He'd give his life for me, and I’d do the same for him.”
Ava watched her coldly, silently assessing her performance.
“Miss Harrington, why do you suppose Alex didn’t inform me about his accident?”
“Perhaps he wanted me by his side, without the intrusion of outsiders.” Isabella’s lips twisted into a smug smile.
“Miss Harrington, you may be mistaken. I was hospitalized with a stomach ailment around the same time, so Alex probably didn’t want to burden me with his troubles.”
Isabella’s brow furrowed. “Is that so? Regardless, I believe he simply didn’t want you to interfere. Ava, don’t be naive. You're well aware of Alex's feelings for me.”
Observing Isabella's self-assured demeanor, Ava was reminded of a certain type of individual.
Ordinary yet arrogant, they looked down on others with a sense of superiority, full of conceit. Such disdainful attitudes, yet they achieved nothing of significance, neither in their careers nor in their character.
"Really?" Ava responded with a faint smile, "Why don't we call Alex and find out if he kept the accident from me because he didn't want me to worry, or if he actually preferred your company. If he was trying to spare me the concern, you've just let the cat out of the bag, revealing that the accident happened because of you. I wonder how he'll react to that."
Ava's voice took on a mocking tone, clearly baiting Isabella. It wasn't that others couldn't be sarcastic. Many simply chose not to stoop to that level.
