Chapter 215

Grayson’s POV

“Grayson?” Elaine’s voice was faint, distant. “Can you hear me?”

I was frozen. The world spun around me, muted, as if viewed through thick glass. Pregnant. Ava was pregnant. With my child.

The revelation hit like a physical blow, stealing my breath. My child. I’d kicked her out while she carried my child. Nausea churned in my gut, a twisting pain spreading through my chest. How long had she known?

My eyes snapped up to Elaine’s anxious face. “I didn’t know you didn’t know,” she sighed, apologetic. “Three months… before things went wrong… I assumed…” She trailed off. “That you knew.”

But I didn’t. The words, “I don’t want children,” echoed in my mind. I’d meant them. Or so I’d thought. That certainty now crumbled, slipping through my fingers like sand. She hadn’t told me because she feared my reaction.

Did I want a child?

A dozen thoughts collided, a chaotic storm. Responsibility. A lifetime commitment. A helpless being dependent on me. Could I do it? Could I be that person? Could I avoid becoming the man my father was?

Elaine’s voice cut through the turmoil. “Have you thought about what you’ll say to her?”

I blinked, realizing I’d been staring at the floor. To Ava? My throat tightened. What could I say?

“I… I don’t know.”

“Why?” Elaine asked softly.

“Because I told her I didn’t want a child.”

“And do you still feel that way?”

The words caught in my throat. I’d never wanted children, never wanted to risk…

Elaine finished my sentence, “Because of your father.”

Silence hung heavy between us. “I don’t know how to be a father, Elaine. I don’t want to be him.”

“You don’t have to,” she said gently. “Not yet.”

But there was no preparation, no trial run. This wasn’t a decision I could undo. The baby existed. And so did the reality of my actions. I’d abandoned Ava when she needed me most. Now, I didn’t even know if she wanted me involved.

A sharp, unfamiliar pain pierced my chest. I’d lost Ava once. Was I about to lose my child, too? Did I even care?

The plane touched down in Italy. I remained frozen in my seat, my thoughts a tangled mess. Stepping off the plane, a team of attendants greeted me with practiced professionalism.

“Mr. Blackwood, welcome to Italy.”

I nodded, ignoring the tightness in my chest. “Thank you.”

Turning to Elaine, the words felt forced. “You’ll be taken to the penthouse suite. Anything you need, just ask. I’ll see you soon.”

She nodded, her expression unreadable. Maybe she saw through my turmoil. “It will be fine, Grayson,” she said, her voice too calm.

I lacked the energy to argue. The reality was overwhelming. The attendants escorted her away.

I walked briskly to my waiting car, a sleek black vehicle—a symbol of my controlled life. Yet, I was once again at the mercy of something beyond my control.

The drive was endless. The Italian streets blurred, a hazy landscape mirroring my confused mind. I didn’t know what I would say to Ava, how I would face her.

The car pulled up to Ricardo’s house. The gates swung open—an expected welcome. I instructed the driver to wait. If Ava was here, it meant she was with Ricardo. Anger flared, but I suppressed it. I would make Ricardo pay.

I stood before the door, hand poised to knock. Then the door swung open, and I saw Ava.