Chapter 54: Making a Move Brings a Bloody Storm
Ava returned to her office, intending to write up the academic paper from the past couple of days, but after writing for a while, she completely lost focus.
Today's events had really caught her off guard, but what made her think even more deeply afterward was how suddenly Victor's condition had deteriorated. She couldn't figure out the reason.
But after today's incident, it suddenly occurred to her that in the entire treatment process for Victor, the only thing that didn't go through her hands was the medication. When she examined Victor yesterday, she also noticed that his breathing and heartbeat were completely irregular. If this wasn't caused by external psychological factors, then it had to be the medication.
Yesterday, she had been so focused on believing there was nothing wrong with her prescription that she hadn't thought carefully about the medicine itself. Now it seemed very likely that the medication Victor was taking wasn't what she had prescribed—there was a strong possibility that Mia had switched it.
Ava propped her elbow on the desk, resting her forehead on her hand, head down in deep thought. Scattered details flashed through her mind, and she blamed herself for not paying closer attention.
A phone rang. Ava brushed the stray hair from her smooth forehead and collected her thoughts. Her eyes scanned the screen—it was an unfamiliar number.
Ava answered suspiciously.
"Hey, Ava, if I don't reach out to you, you'll never contact me first?" That magnetic, mellow voice rang out from the other end.
Ava took a deep breath. Of course it was Ryan again. She pressed her lips together and asked coolly, "Do you need something?"
"Of course I do!"
Ava raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Well, go ahead and tell me. I'm listening."
"..."
Hearing Ava's playful tone, Ryan was actually surprised. She'd had quite a lot going on lately—it had all reached his ears—yet she could still laugh. Pretty good attitude.
"You can still laugh, not bad!"
"Get to the point!" Ava walked to the window with her phone, watching the gradually setting sun outside. The sky was tinged with red. She lifted her wrist to check her watch. There wasn't much going on in the department today, so she could leave on time to pick up Finn and Cleo from school.
"Someone's tracking you down—more precisely, tracking down the two kids."
Ava's brow furrowed slightly, and her previously indifferent eyes darkened.
"Who?"
"The Thomas family."
Ryan had the biggest intelligence network—his informants were spread throughout both business and political circles. If he wanted to know something, he could find out with just a little effort.
The Thomas family? Besides Joshua, no one else in the Thomas family knew the children existed, so it must be Joshua investigating the children's whereabouts.
Ava's grip on the phone tightened.
After lying low for a while, he still hadn't given up looking for the kids. Ava glanced at her watch again. At this moment, she couldn't help but worry, wishing she could fly to the school immediately and bring the children back to her side to feel at ease.
"Also, someone's investigating your identity as Cynthia."
"Who?" Ava asked while already starting to gather her things, preparing to go to the school.
"The Thomas family."
Ava wasn't surprised by this. They wanted to find her simply to have her treat Victor—no, to have Cynthia treat Victor.
"It's actually pretty funny when you think about it. They're using all these connections to find you, but you—the real Cynthia—are right in front of them, doing everything you can to treat Victor, and they're pushing you away. Don't you think their eyes deserve to be gouged out?"
In Ryan's low voice, Ava detected a cruel and bloody undertone. She didn't know what crazy solution he was thinking of now.
"What's your ex-husband's name again?" Ryan's voice paused. "I remember now, Joshua. His eyes are the most deserving of being gouged out..."
"Ryan!" Ava took a sharp breath, her voice serious and cold.
He was never the type to just talk—if he said something, he meant it.
But the Thomas family wasn't to be messed with, and Joshua wasn't someone easy to deal with either—ruthless and decisive in his actions.
And this Ryan—bloody, cruel, and merciless. Ava couldn't imagine what kind of bloodbath it would be if these two men went at each other.
"Why are you calling my name and then not saying anything?"
"You promised me last time that you wouldn't resort to violence at the drop of a hat. Can't you think of some calmer ways to solve problems?"
"You think I've survived this long by using nice, calm solutions?"
"..."
"Or are you saying you feel bad because I want to go after your ex-husband?"
Ava pressed her lips together, too lazy to argue with him. "Anyway, don't get involved in my business. I'll handle it myself."
"You'll handle it yourself? You're treating Victor, doing good deeds without taking credit, and then you get framed. Ava, you think I don't know? Are you stupid? If you can't take down that woman, let me do it. She's messing with my person—she's tired of living!"
"Ryan, not everything can be solved with violence. I have my own plans for this, and I told you not to interfere."
"You have your own plans? You're already being bullied, and you're still talking about plans? Ava, are you dumb or what?"
First called stupid, now called dumb. Ava rubbed her forehead, speechless.
"I'm realizing you're really impossible to talk to. You lose your temper at the drop of a hat. Can you find a therapist to treat this problem? I appreciate you telling me all this. Hanging up now." Ava hung up directly.
Ava was angry, her eyes deep with worry, her thoughts churning. Sure enough, that liar Joshua hadn't given up for a moment on his plan to take the children away.
She walked toward the underground parking garage. As soon as she got in the car, she received a call from Isabella. "Ava, Joshua went to the hospital to see you today?"
"How did you know?" Ava was surprised. How did everyone seem to have surveillance on her? Their information was so well-informed.
"Your hospital's forum. Someone posted a video online. What's really going on between you and Joshua? Why did he come to the hospital looking for you?"