Chapter 18 - SHE CAME BACK FOR AVA
The hospital locked down Ava's floor.
Security closed stairwells and elevators.
Police positioned officers at both entrances.
Margaret entered through the parking garage wearing stolen scrubs and a nurse's stolen badge.
She made it to the fifth floor before Lena saw her reflection in a glass door.
"Ava."
One word was enough.
Ethan moved between the bed and the doorway.
Margaret stepped inside and closed the door behind her.
She looked exhausted now. No pearls. No perfect hair. No polished smile.
"Get away from her," Ethan said.
Margaret laughed softly.
"After everything I've done for you?"
"For me?"
"I protected this family. Your father was going to destroy our name. Ava was going to destroy it too."
Ava felt something settle inside her.
She spoke quietly.
"You didn't protect a family. You protected control."
Margaret's eyes snapped toward her.
"You came into my son's life and made him weak."
"No," Ethan said. "You taught me that obedience was love. Ava taught me the difference."
Margaret's face twisted.
She reached into the pocket of the stolen scrub jacket.
Security burst through the door.
Margaret was on the floor before her hand came out.
The object was a syringe containing the same sedative found in Ava's blood.
As officers pulled Margaret upright, she looked at Ethan.
"You will regret choosing her."
Ethan stared back.
"I regret not choosing her sooner."
Margaret was taken away in handcuffs. It did not feel like an ending.
Because three days later, prosecutors told them Margaret had made a deal offer.
She would confess to the fraud, the drugging, and Ava's crash.
May you like
But only if they agreed not to reopen Charles Hale's death.
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