Chapter 43

Hope house

Ava It was Saturday. A day after the dinner party. Yesterday had been hectic but I was happy that it had been a success none the less.

I get out of bed and go to my bathroom for my morning routine. Even though Ethan had come back to my house with me, he didn’t sleep over. He had an early start today and he didn’t want to interrupt my sleep when he it was time for him to leave.

I brush my teeth as I think about all that happened yesterday.

When Emma cornered me I had been ready for a showdown. I knew the moment Rowan walked out and found me and Emma having a face off.

I find it surprising that I could sense his presence when Emma couldn’t. I wanted to get back at Emma for all the lies she spouted. I wanted Rowan to see the kind of woman he was madly in love.

I meant every single word I told her, but it was time for his eyes to be opened.

Everyone held Emma in high regards. They thought that she was perfect. That she wasn’t capable of anything bad. While that is true for the girl she used to be, it isn’t for the woman she had become.

Maybe the pain of losing Rowan all those years back had changed her. Maybe being a lawyer had cracked her interior and made her ruthless. I’ll never know. The truth still stands that she has changed a lot and not for the better.

After I finish brushing my teeth, I step into the shower. It doesn’t take me long to be done.

Walking into my bedroom, I pick up my outfit for the day and put it on. Just like always I’m comfortable in jeans, t–shirt and flat shoes.

I move downstairs and start preparing breakfast for myself. I had a meeting with Mary at The Hope House at nine. It was a normal procudure that happens everytime we hold and event.

My phone vibrates with an incoming text while I was eating, interrupting my thoughts.

(Morning beautiful)

I smile at the message from Ethan. It felt so good to be wanted and desired. This is how I’d wanted things to be with Rowan but he held back. We could have had a wonderful relationship but he’d It was his loss.

I was now with a man that treasured me and that’s all I could hope for.

[Morning too] I end it with smiley emoji.

[What plans do you have for today?]

[Nothing much….I just have to stop by Hope House then I’ll be meeting Letty later on in the evening]

[Sounds good…I miss you already]

[Really? You miss me exactly or my pussy?] I playfully reply to him.

I bite my lips as I wait for his reply. I’ve never been this bold and it both terrified and excited me.

[Both? Fuck, I’m hard from just thinking about how good you feel.]

[You are?]

I loved that he was aroused because of me. Just from thinking of me. 1 I used to think that I aroused Rowan, but after what he said I’m not so sure. He might have gotten aroused because he imagined it was Emma he was fucking.

[YES…Which is embarrassing given I’m in a squad car and I’m sure my partner noticed my hard dick] 1 I laugh at that. Unable to contain my happiness. Ethan was good at making me feel special. He made me feel like a queen, unlike Rowan who had always made me feel like I was unwanted and unloved.

[You poor baby, maybe I can make you feel better later on]

You’re up for that? I was rough last night, are you sure you aren’t sore] he texts back.

I answer with another smiley face. [I’m sure..don’t worry about it!

His reply comes back a few minutes later.

(I guess I need to up my game…the goal was to make sure you remembered each and every thrust with every step you took]

Finishing my breakfast, I place the dishes on the sink. Making a mental note to wash them later.

[You can make it up to me later]

When he doesn’t reply for a while, I decide it was time for me to leave. I take what I need, close my house and get into my car.

I was feeling giddy as I drove to my destination. For once in a long time, I feel like things were falling into place. It doesn’t take me long to get to Hope House.

Hope House is a masterpiece, boasting of a sleek and contemporary design. It features clean lines and large glass window. The exterior is painted in soft inviting color palettes that blends in with the lush green surrounding.

As you approach the house, a long tree lined driveway welcomes you, leading up to an impressive entrance adorned with a grand double–height glass door flanked by tall ornamental columns.

When you step inside, you are greeted by a breathtaking foyer with a soaring ceiling and an exquisite chandelier that sparkles like a thousand diamonds.

The interior of the house is designed with both beauty and functionality. The living room is flooded with natural light and it features plush and comfortable sofas arranged in a way that creates a cozy gathering.

The kitchen is a chef’s dream with a state of the art appliances, marble countertops and a large island with barstool seating.

Hope House includes numerous spacious bedroom, each uniquely decorated according to each child’s preference, ensuring that each one of them has a personalized and comfortable place to call their own.

It also has recreational areas like a game room, home theatre, library, gym, an indoor swimming pool and a playground with swings and slides.

All Hope Houses are built on acres of land and with the same design. We pride ourselves in offering the best to these kids, When I asked my architect to come up with the design, I wanted these kids to have a place they would be proud to call home, A part from Noah, Hope Foundation was my other pride and joy. It always makes me happy that Tut able to change their lives.

I’m greeted by the little kids when I get to the living room. Today was a lazy day. Where they all got to relax and just chill.

I hug as many as I can before moving forward.

“Hi Ava” the older ones who were relaxing in the sofas greet me in unison.

I smile at them and then greet them back.

“Does anyone know where Mary is?” I ask them.

“She’s in the office” Kira, a seventeen year old who was kicked out by her parents after getting pregnant answers.

She got pregnant at fifteen and she has been with us for two years. She decided to keep her baby and we accepted her decision. Monica, her baby girl was a breath of fresh. She was the liveliest baby I’ve ever met and everyone just adores her.

I thank her and walk to the office. I get more greetings from the other kids and the stuff.

I find Mary seated at the desk with a magazine. She looks up and smiles.

“You face is plastered all over the magazines” she says as she hands me the one she was reading.

The front page is a picture of me giving my speech yesterday.

AVA SHARP TURNS OUT TO BE THE MYSTERIOUS FOUNDER OF HOPE FOUNDATION, THE LARGEST MOST SUCCESSFUL CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION IN THE COUNTRY.

I read the caption and snort before dropping the magazine.

“There are several more magazines with more or less the same title” she says spreading the magazines across the tables. “Some of the things written and speculated are hilarious, you should read them” t I shake my head “No, I really don’t care what they have to say…can we just focus on work?”

“Sure” she answers pushing the magazines aside.

“Give me the report so far”

“Everything is good. The party was a success and as of yesterday the donations have doubled”

She hands me some papers and I go through them. I was impressed with their progress. I know donate to be seen, but I don’t care. Provided the money was helping these kids then I didn’t care what their reasons for donating was.

“If you look here” she points at an amount in the reports, “You’ll see that your ex–husband donated ten million dollars yesterday night”

I stare at her in shock. Rowan is our biggest donor but he has never donated that much money in one sitting before.

“Impressive, right?” she asks smiling.

I nod my head as my eyes go back to the paper. So far, since Hope foundation started, Rowan has donated every single month and has donated close to seventy million in total.

My phone vibrates and I take it out. I find a message from Ethan.

[Sorry beautiful, I got busy and didn’t get a chance to reply]

I was about to reply when Mary panicked voice calling out my name makes me look up.

Her face was shrouded in fear and terror.

“What is it, Mary? I ask feeling my anxiety spike.

“Y–Your…” she stammers “Spit it out” I command her, she was going to give me a heart attack with the way she was making me panic.

Everything inside me stills when the words finally escape her mouth.

“Your house has been torched”