Arson
“You’re kidding me, right?” I ask her, hoping that she was just joking.
She shakes her head sadly before handing over her phone.
AVA SHARP’S HOUSE BURNS DOWN HOURS AFTER SHE REVEALS HER IDENTITY AS HOPE
FOUNDATION’S FOUNDER.
I read and re–read the title of the news, hoping that this was one big joke. I’m proven wrong when I
scroll down and see the video of a burning house.
As much as I didn’t want to believe it, there was no way to deny that it was indeed my house
burning.
With my heart in my throat, I place Mary’s phone down and stand up quickly. My movements are
jerky as I rushed out of the room.
“Ava, wait” She calls me but her words fall on deaf ears.
Faces blur as I move at a speed that would put vampires to shame. Nothing registers in my mind
as I get outside.
Getting into my car, I peel out of the parking lot just as Mary burst through the door. She waves.
her hand. Trying to make me stop. I ignore her and keep driving.
My head was in turmoil. Anger and panic wage war inside me.
Did I forget to turn off my stove and that’s what caused the fire? I had no answer because I couldn’t
remember if I had turned it off or not.
My phone rings with an incoming call from Rowan. I ignore it. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind
to deal with him.
I get more calls from Ethan, Letty and even Travis and mother. Just like with Rowan’s call, I ignore theirs too. I just wanted to get to my house and see how much damaged they caused.
“Fucking bitch, watch where you’re going” a man screams and gives me the middle finger.
In my rush to get home, I almost ran him over.
“Sorry” I shout out the window, but he doesn’t listen. He instead continues to curse me and I
+15 BONUS
Twenty minutes later, I’m pulling into my neighborhood.
I drive slowly as there are civilians, cops, police cars and a fire truck. I bring my car to a stop and walk a short distance to where my house was burning.
I watch in horror, unable to believe that it was true. Firefighters were trying to extinguish the fire, but even I knew that by the time they’re done there won’t be anything left.
I feel my heart break as I watch the fire consume my house. It may not be grand but it was mine
and Noah’s home for the past few months. I loved it and I had so many good memories there. 1
Tears threaten to fall. Why was this happenifng to me? Haven’t I been through enough?
voice brings me back
me. He looked at me with sympathy and I hated that
ask
I don’t know what I would have done if others suffered
I was worried” he answers
badly, but I knew I
turning and walking away. There wasn’t anything I could
out of a home so I needed to
I think I’ve lost Rowan, only to be surprised when he opens the passenger door
you doing?” I shriek in
you to be on your own he puts his seatbelt on as
“Get out I snap.
+15 BONUS
He ignores.
of my fucking
levels me with a cold look. “It’s either you
choice”
but he doesn’t budge. We have a stare down for a couple of minutes. Eventually, I give up when I realize he
car?” I ask as I start
that he must have driven here or had his driver drive him. Rowan wasn’t the
who takes cabs.
can drive my car back home….I’ll call him when I need him” he mutters just
and then
have
going to be
I
to be okay. That
call my real–estate
to
okay” I pause. “Please tell me you have something for me,
homeless”
period of time. I don’t
one and it’s perfect for you. I’m sure you’ll
send me the address now, I want to check it out. If
before I
entitled to. You could have just picked one and I would have given it you” Rowan says
+15 BONUS
been so quiet and I had been so focused on getting a house
with me in the
buy myself a damn new house and that is exactly what I will do. I
help”
breath, but it’s too low for
while. The
time I checked, your father cut you off from his
but then I realized what he was doing. As much as he was probably curious, he also wanted to distract me from my thoughts. To distract me from the fact that I
give up and ask for a divorce or you would. Personally I thought it would be you.
yesterday after I left, but I
to continue providing Noah a life he was used to and I couldn’t do that on my teacher’s salary, so about four years into our marriage I took all my money and invested
They were sure that I would lose my money in the end. Tom’s logistics proved them wrong and
Tom’s logistics was a big company and very successful in
just to know the ins and outs of managing a business. From there, I started investing in startup companies. Those who needed capital and couldn’t get them from the bank, came to me. I went through their business proposals and if
+15 BONUS
far, I have not made a bad investment. After the companies
as a member of
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