Chapter 14 - AVA REFUSES THE EASY ENDING
Sixteen months after the kick, Liam asked Ava to meet.
Public park.
No Lily.
He looked different.
Less polished.
He had not returned as CEO.
The board gave him a non-executive founder role after therapy, governance training, and settlement of internal disciplinary issues.
Naomi remained CEO.
Liam hated that at first.
Then admitted she was better at the job he had stopped doing carefully.
Ava sat across from him.
He said:
“I’m sorry.”
She waited.
“For accusing you.”
Silence.
“For testing Lily behind your back.”
Silence.
“For hitting her.”
His voice broke.
“That’s the one I can’t explain.”
Ava answered:
“You already explained it.”
He looked up.
“You thought she wasn’t yours.”
Liam flinched.
Ava continued:
“That’s the explanation.”
Then:
“And that’s why it’s unforgivable to me.”
He stared at the ground.
She did not mean:
eternally impossible to forgive as a human being.
She meant:
the marriage could not be rebuilt on that foundation.
Liam nodded.
“I understand.”
“Do you?”
“I think so.”
Then he said:
“I made biology the condition for whether she deserved my love.”
Ava’s eyes filled.
That was finally accurate.
Not:
Victor tricked me.
Not:
the lab failed.
Not:
I was under pressure.
His choice.
Then Ava handed him divorce papers.
Not dramatically.
May you like
He took them.
Signed weeks later.
