Chapter 24: Entangled

Ava’s POV

The hum of the private jet was comforting as I leaned back in my seat, glancing out the window at the blanket of clouds below. Andrew sat across from me, his eyes scanning through some documents. We hadn’t spoken much since takeoff, but that was normal when we were heading to London on business. My mind kept drifting back to Tristan. I knew he was safe, there were more than enough nannies at the house to keep an eye on him. Still, I wasn’t sure if it was the right decision to leave him behind. School could wait, but my instinct to protect him never could.

"Everything okay?" Andrew asked, looking up from his work.

I smiled, nodding slightly. “Yeah, I was just thinking about Tristan. I still don’t know if we’re doing the right thing by keeping him home.”

Andrew leaned back, stretching his arms. “He’s healing, Ava. And you made the right call. He’s got a team of caretakers around him. More than most kids ever have.”

“I know,” I sighed. “But you know how it is. It feels wrong to not be there with him.”

Andrew reached across the table and squeezed my hand gently. “You’re an amazing mom. He’s fine. Let’s focus on this meeting, and then we’ll head back home.”

I squeezed his hand back, appreciating the reassurance, but my heart still tugged at the thought of leaving Tristan behind. Being a mother never left much room for peace of mind. Even when everything seemed fine, there was always that lingering worry.

The flight continued in silence, both of us focusing on the tasks ahead. When we landed in London, a car was waiting for us. The driver greeted us warmly and ushered us into the sleek black sedan. We headed straight for the office. The city’s familiar hustle unfolded around us, but I was already thinking about the meeting with Derek’s company.

The moment we entered the office, Andrew and I parted ways to tackle our respective agendas. I had meetings lined up back-to-back, including the one with Derek’s team about the company’s progress, or lack thereof.

Before heading to my office, I passed through the conference room to greet some of the staff. It was the usual buzz of activity, phones ringing, papers shuffling, quiet conversations among employees. But something felt off. The tension in the air was palpable, though I couldn’t put my finger on why. Maybe it was because I knew I’d be seeing Derek soon.

The meeting with his company was scheduled to review their progress, which had been painfully slow. F&J was floundering, and there was only so much I could do to save them. The deal we struck months ago had barely made a dent, and I knew Derek must be feeling the weight of his own failures.

I slipped into the conference room at the scheduled time, ready to focus. Several members of Derek’s team were already seated, waiting for me. They offered polite smiles and greetings, but the atmosphere remained stiff. We went through the motions of reviewing the numbers, discussing strategies to pull the company out of its downward spiral.

But Derek wasn’t there.

It didn’t surprise me. Lately, he’d been avoiding these kinds of meetings, letting his team handle the fallout from his poor decisions. I kept my questions direct, my tone professional, though inside, I was growing increasingly frustrated. The company was circling the drain, and it felt like Derek was letting it happen. It wasn't just frustrating from a business standpoint—there was something personal about watching him fail. Maybe because he had failed me too.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the meeting wrapped up. We agreed on the next steps, though I knew it was all just a temporary fix. As I gathered my things to leave, I thought I caught one of Derek’s managers glancing nervously at me. 

“Thank you, everyone,” I said, standing up and offering a polite smile. “Let’s stay on top of those numbers and check in again next week.”

The team filed out of the room, some nodding as they left. Once the door shut behind them, I sighed, running a hand through my hair. It had been a long morning already, and I still had so much more to do. 

I returned to my office, the door clicking shut behind me. My mind was already moving onto the next item on my agenda when the door opened again. I didn’t even have to look up to know who it was.

“Ava.”

Derek’s voice. Of course. I should have known he wouldn’t let the meeting end without making an appearance. 

I looked up, keeping my expression neutral. “Derek. I wasn’t expecting you.”

He walked into the room without an invitation, his presence unsettling. He had that same look in his eyes, the one I had seen when he came to the hospital for Tristan. There was something off about him lately, more unsteady, more desperate. 

“I needed to talk to you,” he said, closing the door behind him.

I raised an eyebrow. “If this is about the meeting, we already covered everything.”

“It’s not about the meeting,” he replied, stepping closer. 

I set down the folder I’d been holding, my patience wearing thin. “Then what is it about?”

He was silent for a moment, as if trying to find the right words. His eyes flickered with something I hadn’t seen in him for years, vulnerability.

“I’ve been thinking,” he started, his voice quieter now. “About everything. About us.”

I stiffened. “Derek, we don’t need to go there. The past is behind us.”

“Is it?” he asked, his eyes locking onto mine. “Because it doesn’t feel that way. Not to me.”

I sighed, rubbing my temples. “Look, Derek, whatever feelings you think are still there, they’re not. You’ve moved on. I’ve moved on.”

He took another step closer, his eyes pleading. “But I haven’t. Not really. Not when it comes to you.”

My heart tightened. This was the last conversation I wanted to have. “Derek, this is not the time.”

“I know I made mistakes,” he continued, ignoring my words. “I know I hurt you. But Ava, I was a fool. I shouldn’t have left you. I shouldn’t have given up on us. Seeing you again, seeing Tristan… it made me realize that I threw away the best thing that ever happened to me.”

I stared at him, my chest tightening with a mix of emotions. His words stung, but they also meant nothing to me now. It was too late for all of this. 

“Derek,” I said firmly, “you made your choice. You walked away from me, from our marriage. You chose Annabel. And now, whatever feelings you have left, they don’t matter. We are over.”

He looked down at the floor, his shoulders slumping as if the weight of his own mistakes was finally catching up to him. “I know. I know it’s too late for us. But I can’t help how I feel. I’ve been thinking about you nonstop. You were right in front of me all along, and I was too blind to see it.”

I stood up from my desk, crossing my arms. “It’s too late, Derek. I’ve moved on. I have a family now. And you… you need to focus on your life. You need to focus on fixing the mess you’ve created with F&J.”

He looked up at me, his eyes filled with regret. “I’m sorry, Ava. For everything.”

I nodded, the conversation finally taking its toll on me. “I appreciate the apology, Derek. But it doesn’t change anything.”

He opened his mouth as if to say more, but I stopped him. “You should go. We both have work to do.”

For a moment, he just stood there, looking at me with that same lost expression. Then, slowly, he nodded and I thought he turned to leave, But instead he walked closer to me.

I didn’t know what was about to happen, I kept taking steps back from him till I hit the wall… I was scared, my voice couldn’t come out, it had formed a lump in my throat.

“Derek, what…. What do you want to do?” I say, my voice shaky and my heart racing with fear, my glass doors were tinted, people outside couldn’t know what happened inside.

And suddenly, my office door opened, it was Andrew, and I saw the anger plastered on his face.