Ava angrily stormed out of the bathroom proceeding to the dining table but they were already done with dinner. Ava was grateful that they had finished, giving her the chance to avoid any unnecessary conversation.

“Ava dear, my birthday is in a couple of days and the ladies and I will be organizing a golf event tomorrow… would you like to come?”

Ava although angry couldn’t ignore the sweet nature of Emily but she couldn’t play golf. For all she knew it was a syndrome for the rich and old folks.

“I would love to…but….”

“She would be there!” Aiden intercepted, taking her aback and stunned.

“Really? That would be beautiful, can’t wait to see you there!” Emily yelped, wrapping her hands around Ava in response before leaving. Aiden pulled the button of his wheelchair to leave too but Ava pulled him back.

“What was the meaning of that?”

“Meaning of what?…oh! You mean doing what you don’t like?” Aiden asked rhetorically in a mocking tone.

“Yes…”

“You did what I didn’t like today….so it will only be fair if you do the same tomorrow, right?” He probed, his eyebrows lifted as if waiting for an answer.

Ava stood stunned but to prevent drawing attention to them she squatted to him in the wheelchair, to ensure their faces were on the same level.

“What…what are you talking about?… I saved you from being probed by your brother…

“He’s my brother, not yours….who asked for your saving?” Aiden asked in a disdainful tone. Ava curved her lips in anger.

“Really?” She paused trying to take it all in. “This dress is the only reason why anyone believes we’re married…and this is what I get for saving your ass?” She wiped the tears that were threatening to flow down her face. She picked her purse from the ground, removing her weight from his wheelchair, and leaving him alone.

“Ava!” It was the first time he was calling her name. His voice halted her steps. He controlled his wheelchair to meet her where she stood beckoning on her to bend down to his level, which she did.

“You are my property…don’t ever forget that and you will do what you have been bought to do.” He scorned before leaving in the company of his guards. Gavin led Aiden into the car before retreating to the front seat. Aiden let out a burst of sudden unrestrained laughter that caused the driver to halt in fear and also Gavin to inquire if all was well.

“She shut him up….that bastard for once was shut up! Oh! I love her!” He exclaimed even louder.

“Boss? You love her?” Gavin inquired.

“No, no! Not that type….just the dark humor type…drive me to the club… I need a drink!”

He exclaimed

While Ava froze on the spot watching him drive off with his escort.

“Ma’am?” Her chauffeur called out to her. He had opened the door for her to step in for a while but she was lost in the web of her thoughts.

“Sorry…” she muttered as she stepped into the car, letting several glasses of drink wash away the tragic course of her life. She knew her fate when she signed those papers but seeing it happen firsthand was the shock that disturbed her.

Mrs. Jenkins helped carry her tired self from the limousine into her room, instructing that no one goes in there to wake her up in the morning except on her orders.

Ava woke up to the soothing fragrance of a coffee-flavored incense almost like Mrs. Jenkins was keen to nurse her back to consciousness without any sign of a stress.

“Good morning, Mrs. Douglas.”

“Ava! For the hundredth time don’t link me up with this psycho family!” Ava exclaimed subconsciously causing Mrs. Jenkins to be flustered a little bit, striking Ava’s pity chord.

“I’m sorry….I didn’t mean to yell…just Ava…please.”

“It’s fine, Ava.” Mrs. Jenkins attempted for the first time with a smile. She handed Ava a cup of coffee to ease her stress before instructing the maids to prepare her bath.

“Why so early? I don’t feel like having a bath so early.”

“This is the boss’s direct order. He says you must be ready by 11 am.”

Ava rolled her eyes in frustration before reluctantly going to take her bath. She returned to meet her golfing outfit already laid out on the bed with the canvas to match. Despite her hatred for golf, she loved the outfit and after dressing, she smiled to herself.

“Golf may not be so bad.”

She slid in her wedding ring before stepping into the car to the golf course. She didn’t bother to ask about Aiden, she didn’t want to see him either.

>>>

Arriving at the golf course, whatever excitement she nursed about the sport died. It was the Douglas private golf course hence providing them the liberty to do whatever they liked. She saw other ladies dressed in the same outfit but they had an excitement which she didn’t have because everyone seemed to have their clique.

“Ava, you came!” Emily yelped running to hug her. “You look like a pro at this.” She teased Ava who just accepted the compliments with warm smiles.

“Come let me introduce you to the family!” She dragged Ava to the ladies from the extended to the nuclear. The only person, Ava recognized was Sasha because they met the previous day but their names were the only thing they knew about each other. She found an empty umbrella where she sat.

“Ava come on, take a pitch shot!” Emily beckoned on her to advance.

“Nah… I’d rather not!” Ava negated but the ladies pressed harder. She took a golf glove and club from the instructors. She advanced towards the golf ball attempting to chip it into the green but her lack of balance threw not only the ball but caused her to miss her steps and fall. Emily rushed to help her up while the rest ladies chuckled In mockery.

“Every real Douglas is a golfer!”, “probably never seen a golf course before…” their side comments reached Ava’s ears but Emily advised her to pay them no heed but rather go freshen up. Ava struggled with the embarrassment inside the restroom for a while before making up her mind to go back home rather than make a futile effort to be introduced into the so-called Classy Scottish league.

“Roland, drive me home!” She scoffed but the loud but distant call of her name stopped her from locking the door.

“Sasha?”

“Hi…” Sasha paused to catch her breath. “You must really hate those hypocritical bunch.”

She said but Ava remained mute.

“Come on, you don’t have to hide it. I hate them too.” She scoffed, and Ava concluded that she was a smart mouth like her husband.

“Anyway, I came to apologize for what Ethan did yesterday, he had no right to…”

“It’s fine.”

“Hope Addy didn’t take the comments to heart.”

“Addy? Who’s that?” Ava expressed her confusion.

“Ma’am, we need to leave now…” Roland said in an urgent tone.

“Just a second…” turning to face Sasha “Yeah, you were saying?”

“Addy, that’s what I used to call him when we were together.” Sasha continued, smiling to herself that it was working already.

“Ok?”

Sasha let the tears that welled up in her eyes, stream down her cheeks, commanding more attention from Ava.

“He’s not stable….you need to be careful…”

“What?”

“Oh! I see, he didn’t tell you. Aiden and I were a couple and we even had a child together but…”

Ava remained confused at the revelations, not sure how to feel seeing that she just got into his life some days ago.

“But what?” Ava probed.

“He killed her!”