Chapter 8: The Statement She Refused To Sign
Nathan came to Elena Ward’s office holding flowers Ava used to buy for herself.
Cheap white daisies.
That was almost insulting.
He had arrived in a car worth more than their five years of rent.
Then he walked in carrying the budget version of remorse.
Ava sat beside Elena and did not touch the flowers.
Nathan placed them on the table anyway.
“I remembered you liked these.”
Ava looked at them.
“I liked them because they were all we could afford.”
His face tightened.
Elena folded her hands.
“You requested this meeting, Mr Collins.”
Nathan took out a document.
“I need Ava to sign a simple statement.”
Ava did not reach for it.
Elena did.
She read the first page.
Then the second.
Her expression became colder with every line.
“This states there is no significant financial dispute between the parties.”
Nathan said, “For business purposes.”
Elena looked up.
“That is false.”
Nathan turned to Ava.
“It is temporary.”
“No,” Ava said.
“It is a lie with a deadline.”
He swallowed.
“If this acquisition collapses, people lose jobs.”
Ava studied him.
There it was again.
Responsibility used as a costume.
“You should have thought of your employees before building the deal on a fake marriage story.”
Nathan leaned forward.
“I made a mistake.”
Ava waited.
He added, “But I did it because I needed to know you loved me for me.”
Ava’s voice stayed quiet.
“You never let me know who you were.”
Nathan looked hurt, as if truth had been rude to him.
Margaret arrived ten minutes late without apologising.
She entered like the room belonged to her family because most rooms had.
“Ava,” she said. “Enough.”
Elena looked at her. “Mrs Collins was not invited to speak.”
Margaret ignored her.
“You are letting anger destroy Nathan’s future.”
Ava turned slowly.
“You let Nathan destroy my present for five years.”
Margaret’s mouth hardened.
“You were cared for.”
Ava looked at the statement.
“In a basement with a leaking ceiling?”
Nathan said, “I can repay you.”
“That is not the same as undoing it.”
He looked desperate now.
Really desperate.
Not for her.
For what her refusal would cost.
Ava pushed the document back across the table.
“I will not sign this.”
Nathan closed his eyes.
Margaret snapped, “You are being vindictive.”
Ava stood.
“No.”
“I am being accurate.”
Elena handed Nathan a different packet.
“Our position is there.”
“Full disclosure, reimbursement of misrepresented payments, compensation claims, and a written acknowledgement of financial deception.”
Nathan stared at the packet.
Margaret looked at it as if it were dirt.
Ava picked up the daisies and handed them back to Nathan.
“Take these too.”
He looked at her helplessly.
She gave him no softness to climb into.
That afternoon, Julian Brooks received Elena’s formal response.
By evening, the acquisition committee paused the deal.
Nathan called Ava thirty-seven times.
She answered none.