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 from to
to find Rowan behind me. He looked at me with sympathy and I hated that
are you doing here?” I ask as I wipe away
no other house had caught fire. I don’t know what I
I was worried” he answers
I knew I wouldn’t get it from him. Couldn’t
fine” I give my house one final looking before turning and walking away. There wasn’t anything I could
I was out of a home so I needed to get that
think I’ve lost Rowan, only to be surprised when he opens the passenger
hell are you
fucking way am I allowing you to be on
“Get out I snap.
+15 BONUS
He ignores.
my fucking
either you start driving or we sit for
choice”
for a couple of minutes. Eventually, I give
I ask as I start
he must have driven here or had his driver drive him. Rowan wasn’t the kind
who takes cabs.
my car back home….I’ll call him when I
then
longer have
going to
I ask
I felt that it wasn’t going to be okay. That the worst
I call my real–estate agent. He picks up on the first
Ava. I saw what happened to
have something for me, anything really, given
homeless”
for whatever period of time. I don’t know what
perfect for you. I’m sure you’ll love it” he says and
I want to
agrees before I
I have properties which you’re entitled to. You could have just picked one and I would have given
+15 BONUS
so quiet and I had been so focused on getting a house that I
was with me in
can buy myself a damn new house and that is exactly what I will
help” I
but it’s
quiet for a while. The atmosphere in
how you got wealthy. The last time I checked, your father
As much as he was probably curious, he also wanted to distract me from my thoughts. To distract me from the fact
thought it would be you. I knew it was only a matter time before Emma came back and you left
them yesterday after I left, but I
couldn’t do that on my teacher’s salary, so about four years into our marriage I took all my
succeeding was small. They were sure that I would lose my money in
at the memory. Tom’s logistics was a big company and very successful in its field. I was still a share
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 it had potential
+15 BONUS
I have not made a bad investment. After the
as a member of
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