Chapter 1 - The Sentence Nolan Couldn't Deny
Dust rose around Ava’s cream maternity dress when Sabrina yanked the loose rope away from her ankles.
Ava was eight months pregnant and sitting on the cold stone floor of the old church annex, surrounded by collapsed cardboard boxes, torn fabric, old parish papers, and storage bins that smelled like mildew and cedar.
Sabrina stood over her in black heels and a dark green dress.
Then she kicked the stack of storage bins beside Ava.
Plastic crashed against stone.
Old papers scattered.
Dust covered Ava’s shoes.
Ava immediately wrapped both hands around her belly.
“Look at you—filthy, helpless, yet you still thought Nolan chose you.”
Ava looked up through tears.
Before she could answer, Nolan rushed through the doorway.
“Ava!”
He dropped to his knees and carefully helped her stand, supporting her beneath the arms while she clutched his sleeve for balance.
Then he turned.
Something in his face changed when he saw Sabrina.
Nolan crossed the small space between them and kicked Sabrina hard in the outer thigh.
She stumbled backward into an old wooden chair.
The chair tipped.
Two dusty hymnals dropped to the floor.
“Stay away from Ava.”
Sabrina pushed herself upright.
She stared at Nolan for a second, then walked directly back toward him.
Her palm struck his cheek.
Hard.
Nolan’s head snapped sideways.
Sabrina leaned close enough that Ava could hear every word.
“Stop playing the faithful husband, darling. You were mine before Ava—and you came back to me after her, too.”
Nolan froze.
That was all Ava needed.
Not a denial.
Not outrage.
Not confusion.
Nothing.
Her hand slipped from Nolan’s sleeve.
She stepped backward.
Nolan finally turned toward her.
“Ava—”
She looked at him with a disgust so complete it stopped him.
“I’M DISGUSTED BY BOTH OF YOU. ENJOY TONIGHT WHILE IT LASTS.”
Nolan lowered his head.
Sabrina's satisfied smile lasted only until Ava turned toward the doorway.
Then it vanished.
Ava walked slowly, one hand beneath her belly, refusing Nolan’s attempt to follow.
She did not know yet whether Sabrina had told the whole truth.
But she knew one thing.
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Sabrina had said Nolan came back to her after Ava.
And Nolan had reacted like a man hearing a date he already understood.
