The Ultimate Chance-Chapter 70

"Do you think of Angel the whole time when you’re with me?" He asked as some kind of challenge.

"Are you kidding me? He’s my son." She started, and immediately realized that was partially a lie. "No. I do think about him sometimes but..."

"You don’t fuck me for his benefit, do you?" he used the chance to make her think about it from every perspective.

"That’s revolting." She pointed at him. "Why the hell would I think about my son when having sex?"

"You don’t? Then what do you think about?" He interrogated her like it was an interview.

"I don’t know, okay? It’s just me and...you." She slowed down when she realized what had just happened. He had made her prove herself wrong—not that she was complaining. There was some kind of relief about it.

"Our son had fun yesterday." He explained, referring to the amusement park. "He probably had a blast playing with his aunt and his little girlfriend."

"Angel is five!" She growled. Girlfriend?

"Well, his cute little friend." He corrected himself. "Since we came here, we only called once to make sure he had eaten and later to read him a bedtime story. At what point were we so worried about him that we faked anything to make him feel he had a complete family?"

She shifted seats and sat on his lap instead. "You’re right. I just don’t know how to deal with any of this."

"Then don’t." He kissed her lips. "Let everything unfold as naturally as it can. Trust me, you will love it more that way than when you try to have control over everything.

Having to admit he was right yet again made her purse her lips. She would rather keep pretending she still had control of something—her feelings, at least. How could she accept the fact that the man who had disappeared from her life like a ghost still had the same effect on her that he had in the past?

"Do you want to resume where we left off?" She pointed at the episode playing on the screen. "I couldn’t watch it on my own before. I wanted to and I had the rime...I just couldn’t do it on my own." She shot her gaze at him when she realized why he had chosen a long series that day in Deciviille instead of a movie. It was not about how long it would take for them to decide on their next movie. He knew she hated change and if she had started watching a certain series with someone, she wouldn’t be able to do it on her own.

"Well played." She admitted. "But how the hell did you even know that?"

He grinned in triumph. "The aquarium project. Ring any bell?"

She thought hard before she finally remembered what he was talking about. They’d had several projects together in the past and during one of them, he had fallen ill the day before they were to go through the final interview. Although they were close to completion, she almost went crazy doing it on her own when she was used to him being by her side.

"Why do you have to remember every tiny detail about our past? I’m trying not to fall for you." She groaned, belatedly realizing she had yet again revealed something she didn’t think he should know. It was official. His presence was drawing out her insanity.

Luckily, he was no longer in the mood to tease her. He pulled her to his seat so she was sitting between his legs and played the next episode of Anabelle.

....

Several episodes and a few hours of sleep later, Avery felt refreshed when she woke up. She had mysteriously ended up in his bed but to her relief, he was beside her when she woke up. She didn’t know why that was a relief either.

"You’re awake." He ran a finger down her nose when she faced him.

"I feel like I had the best sleep in years." She nuzzled into his arms. She caught sight of the vault that wasn’t very far behind him and sat up in a jolt, remembering what she had found inside it.

"Avery?" He followed her gaze and lost his strength when he realized what had caught her attention. "Please don’t tell me that vault and its contents are going to rear their ugly heads into our lives again. Because, honestly? I can’t deal with any more fights between us."

She was amused. "I’m glad you think so. I can’t handle any more fights between us either. And luckily, I don’t think I have the strength to start any so you can relax." She slid off the bed to head for the vault. "It’s just...I just found a way to know whether Gabriel is telling the truth."

"Are you thinking about other men while you’re with me?" He feigned jealously, earning a pillow in his face.

"Are you jealous of everyone?" She scrunched her face.

"If a make cat coiled its tail around your leg, you won’t believe how fast I’d get rid of it." He exaggerated. She rolled her eyes but deep down she knew it was not above him. That did sound like something he would do.

"Forget your jealousy for a second."

"Right. What does my vault or its contents have anything to do with proving Gabriel’s intentions?"

She unlocked it and took out the file that had nearly made them go crazy killing each other the first time she saw it. This time, she held it like a precious gem. "I can’t believe I’m saying this but I’m not entirely sure he sent this file. I mean, sure he knows the nickname I used on you, but there’s a possibility he’s not the only one who knew. We may be blaming the wrong person."

He didn’t know what to think. "Are you going to confront him with this file? What makes you think that loser would admit it if he is behind all this crap?" Her glare reminded her who he was calling a loser. "Sorry."

"You’re not. And you’re right. He’s such a loser. He cannot even decide whether he’s his sister’s hero or the ultimate villain." She fiddled the edge of the file. "If he sent this file, he will react a certain way if he sees it."

_____

After thinking of the simplest yet most perfect plan, she asked Gabriel out for lunch with the excuse of having something to tell him. Damon had been against it and tried everything to stop her from meeting the man he was convinced might hurt her. To be fair, she had thought the same way too, until she remembered the kind of boy Gabriel was growing up.

He would beat the crap out of any kid he met, whether or not they knew him. He made fights to seek attention from his parents who were too busy having affairs to pay any to their children, and he soon became the neighborhood bully. However, his demeanor changed to that of a sweet, doting brother in her presence. As long as there was anything she wanted, he would go out of his way to get it for her, and hell befell anyone who dared to bully her.

Keeping this into account, she couldn’t believe the same brother who risked her hatred to keep her away from danger would also be behind such a heartless plot. She was done going back and forth speculating whether he did it or not, it was time to face the truth no matter what it was.

He readily agreed to the meeting and was there before her.

"I thought this was a prank, that you wouldn’t come." He was overjoyed to see her.

She sat down returning his smile. "Hypothetically, if Angel were to be unwell and need an organ whose transplant may endanger the donor’s life, would you be a donor?"

What kind of question was that? He wondered. Nonetheless, he nodded. "It’s a five-year-old boy. He has years of life ahead of him. If I had the chance to let him live, I would."

She nodded, having successfully trapped him. "What if the recipient was Damon?"

"Damon?"

"Well, Angel would want his father to live..." She lured him into revealing his intention.

"That’s hard. I love the boy but that doesn’t mean I feel the same way about his father. And we are human. We all love life. Giving it up for someone I care about is something else. Why would I give that chance to my enemy?"

She nodded in satisfaction. At least he didn’t lie about being able to do anything for her.

"However, Angel would be sad. So I would make sure he has both a father and an uncle in me. Where are you going with these weird questions anyway?"

"I just needed to know where we stand in your heart. SInce you value a kid you only met once, I don’t need to ask about myself." While she spoke, she opened her purse and took out the file she had carried, studying his expression. The reason why she had started off with a hypothetical question was so he’d be in deep thought when she took out the file, and his expression would be clear when it changed.

Surprise. That was not what she thought she’d see on his countenance.

He read the name on the hospital and asked with pleasant surprise, "Are you pregnant?"

______

AN