Chapter 96: His angel
Ava breathed out a long sigh as Dylan left, her shoulders sagging. The tension in her pulse still throbbed. A part of her still reeled from the fact that Dylan hadn’t bothered checking on her while she needed him the most. Why did he come now that she was awake?
’I don’t need him,’ she thought furiously.
Across the room, Nicholas observed her quietly, his own heart swelling with joy as he witnessed Ava taking his side over and over again. He recalled Ava standing in front of him as a shield, blocking Dylan’s punch.
It was unexpected, but to Nicholas, it was the most beautiful moment of his life. That brief moment of her protectiveness was profound, deeply stirring something within him. No one had ever stood up for him the way she had—not like this. She was truly an angel, fiercely protective and compassionate, and he found himself overwhelmed with gratitude.
"Thank you for standing up for me," Nicholas said softly, drawing her from her thoughts. "You did it again."
Ava looked up. When she saw the gentle gratitude in his eyes, she felt a wave of embarrassment rise within her. Her gaze dropped briefly, her mind filling with fresh indignation over Dylan’s outburst. "I’m so sorry, Nicholas. I apologize on behalf of Dylan. He can be... impossible."
But Nicholas cut her off gently. "Don’t apologize because of him. That’s not yours to carry. If anyone should apologize, it’s him."
"He’ll never apologize," Ava muttered, feeling aggrieved. "He thinks he is always right. So self-righteous... so arrogant."
Nicholas studied Ava’s face, noticing the pain lingering in her eyes, a hurt so raw he wondered why she had ever considered giving Dylan another chance.