Chapter 84 Repaired It
A crease of concern marred Alexander's forehead as he spoke, his voice filled with a sincerity that was hard to ignore. "My parents will always be your parents, Mitchell's will always be your home. Divorce doesn’t mean we become strangers, Ava. You need to understand that.”
Ava's response was a smile, but it was a bitter one. She understood his words all too well.
She moved into the walk-in closet, her hands beginning to sort through the clothes hanging there.
Alexander watched her, his confusion evident. “What are you doing?”
“I’m merely packing up my belongings to relocate to the adjacent room. We should sleep separately before the divorce is finalized - it’s simply less awkward that way,” she explained.
As she laid clothes on the bed and began folding them, Alexander stepped closer. His voice held a note of protest. “We’re not divorced yet. Why the rush? It’s not as if we haven’t shared a bed before. What difference does a few more or less nights make?”
He found her newfound distant demeanor disconcerting.
“Isabella wouldn’t appreciate it,” Ava said, glancing up at him. “If she discovered we were still sleeping together, she’d be devastated, especially given her current health. Let’s not exacerbate things for her.”
“Ava, stop mentioning her. We’re discussing us.”
“Isn’t she part of ‘us’ now? Aren’t we getting divorced because of her as well?”
"You claimed you weren't content with me. Even without her, we were destined for divorce eventually!” Alexander’s tone was icy, his words biting.
Ava chose to remain silent, believing that arguing would only fan the flames of conflict.
The issue seemed unsolvable.
Without Isabella, could they have found happiness?
No, that was mere wishful thinking. Alexander didn't love her, and without Isabella, there’d just be another woman. This man would never fall for her.
She had tried for ten long years, and if he hadn’t fallen for her by now, then probably nothing could sway him. Maybe they were simply not destined to be. Fate hadn’t connected them.
"Stop packing," Alexander commanded, taking the clothes from her hands. "I'll sleep in the room next door. You can sleep here."
Ava replied, "I've been occupying the next room for several nights now. I'm accustomed to it. You can have this room."
She reached for the clothes again.
A tightness gripped Alexander's chest. He didn't want to argue with Ava, nor add to her stress, but sometimes he found it hard to restrain himself.
She seemed utterly indifferent to him, ready to sleep in separate rooms without a second thought.
Perhaps she had long ceased desiring his touch, and now simply found the right excuse.
He sighed, then suddenly produced a diamond bracelet from his pocket and offered it to her.
Ava looked at the bracelet in his hand, momentarily taken aback. "What's this...?"
"I had it repaired."
She saw the once broken piece expertly restored, the damage imperceptible, and now even enhanced with intricate patterns, making the bracelet appear even more exquisite.
"I remember discarding this bracelet in the trash," Ava said, incredulously looking at him, "You didn't dig it out, did you?"
The thought of a man like Alexander rummaging through garbage was hard to fathom.
Touching his nose in slight embarrassment, he responded, "How else would it have been recovered? Why'd you discard it anyway? It was repairable. What a waste to throw it away."
His words seemed like an olive branch.Ava looked at the bracelet in his hands but didn't take it.
Frowning, Alexander urged, "Take it. What are you waiting for?"
Suddenly, Ava found it absurd how casually he had repaired the bracelet and offered it back to her as if she'd simply misplaced it and he was graciously returning it, expecting her gratitude.
