In Love With My Rival

CHAPTER ELEVEN: is what she needs

            “What the heck is going on?”

            Ava could not believe it too. She did not have any clue at all. Everything was happening so fast and she did not have any idea why these things were happening to her. Who was after her? Who were those two guys? What did they want? What did she have that they needed? These were the questions that she badly needed answers to.

            She was just done explaining what just happened not so long ago when she was walking down the parking lot. She was almost crying when she saw Mason and she hugged him tightly. Mason just went crazier after hearing her.

            “I honestly don’t know. I feel like I don’t want to go out there anymore.”

Ava’s lips quivered as she tried to take some deep breaths. She just could not take it out of her mind yet. Well, not everyone would be so forgetful or be numb about a traumatic experience. Thankfully, Ava’s mind was still sane after what happened. Some people who might have gone through the same experience as she had would already be depressed which was something serious and worse. She was smart enough to be calm about everything that was going on, though she could not deny that there was fear inside her.

“Should I call him?” She asked, staring at Mason with worried eyes.

“Your Dad?” Mason guessed, although he already knew who Ava was referring to.

“Yes. I’m scared.”

“Just call him.” He suggested.

“Alright.”

Ava took another deep breath first before calling his father on the phone. It kept ringing at first and wasn’t answered.

“Maybe, I should not just let him know? He’ll be very mad at me.” Ava sighed. She just could not help, but think about the consequences when she would let her father know about what happened to her and Mason.

“He’s your father. He should be concerned. Call him again.” Mason thought.

“Fine.”

So, she did. Ava dialed her father’s cellphone number once again. As the call rang, her eyes landed on the contact name she assigned for her father. Daddy. It wasn’t simply the word it was, but it had a red heart emoji before the ‘D’ and another one after the last letter, ‘y’. She had been a Daddy’s girl.

Damn, memories.

            She did not want to think about it because it hurt.

Ava closed her eyes and shook her head when her phone was finally answered. She did not put the call speaker so she put her phone closer and over her ear just to hear her father speak on the line.

“What is it?”

Cold voice. No ‘Hello, sweetie. How it is going on?’ or ‘Hey, let’s have some father-daughter bonding. I miss you’. Nothing. Not even a ‘hi’. Yup, that was her father.

She cleared her throat softly before finally speaking, “Hey, Dad. I’m in the hospital.”

That must have been the bluntest statement of fact she had told her father and then there was silence.

            It was a deafening silence on the line. She was anxious, waiting for her father to react. It was scaring her. She glanced shortly at Mason, letting him see how nervous she was. She felt a little relaxed when Mason gave her an encouraging nod and smile.

            “What the hell happened?”

            What the heck just happened?

            Of course, I should have expected that.

            Ava thought.

            Not even asking if I’m okay.

            She pursed her lips and then forced a small smile on her face before replying, “Someone fired at us while I was driving Mason and me back to the office.” Her voice was not even sad. She did not want her father to sense that she was scared. Maybe, she wanted to sound tough which was very opposite.

            “What? Drive here at the mansion. I’ll talk to you in person about it. Now.”

            Her phone beeped, signaling that the phone was ended. Her father hung up on her. When she put her phone down, she heard Mason let out a sigh.

            “What did he say?” Mason asked. Just the look on his boss’ face already let him know that the conversation was not that well. He was so concerned about her. Her face showed how exhausted she was and it was only three in the afternoon. He wished he could be braver and strong enough to protect her.

            “He wants me to go to the mansion now.”

            Ava finally said.

            “Alright. I’ll walk us out together. I’ll go back to the office now too.”

            “Okay. Let’s go.” Ava said, hopping off the bed along with Mason. “Wait. I’ll just drop you there then I’ll be driving to the mansion.”

            “Are you sure you’ll be safe? Alone?”

            Ava sighed. “I’m not sure but I’ll drive fast.”

            “Okay. Let’s go.”

            They both walked side by side out of the emergency room and to Ava’s car. She started the engine right away once they got inside and maneuvered out of the hospital parking lot. She drove at fast speed. That was how she ended up at the mansion, only to end up fighting with her father. The worst part was getting slapped on the face… for the first time.

***

            Sitting in the car, staring at the parking lot, Ava did not want to think about it but it just would not leave her mind. She could still feel the hand that was laid painfully on her cheek. It made her look on the side mirror of her car. She was not wrong when she thought it had left a mark because there really was a handprint. It was red and it broke her heart into pieces. No one had done to her and the most painful part was it had to be her father who did that first.

            What can I do?

            She thought.

            What’s done is done.

            Left with no choice, Ava looked away from the spot and drove again. This time, she knew where she was heading. As planned, she would ask for help from the police. She would want them to investigate the incident. She just needed them to know who was after her so she could be confident that she was safe once the culprit would be caught.

            It took about fifteen minutes for her to arrive at the New York Police Department. She parked her car outside and walked into the lobby, but not before applying a concealer on her face to cover the handprint. She was welcomed by an Officer at the Help Desk.

            “Good afternoon, Ma’am. What can we help you with?” The lady Officer greeted Ava with a smile.

            She silently read the tag on her uniform with said, “D. Dawson”. The officer was a tall woman around her early thirties, wearing her dark blue police uniform. She was a cool blondie, body so fit and face so stoic but beautiful.

            “I could’ve just called you on the hotline to let you know about this, but I rushed myself and my assistant to the hospital after a bullet passed by our eyes while I was driving.”

            “Ma’am, take a seat, please. Can you elaborate more?” Dawson was getting interested. Well, every important case had to be interesting for them.

            Ava sat on the chair in front of the desk and spoke again. “I think someone’s after me. He shot the passenger side’s window in my car. The bullet passed through it and hit the driver’s side. They’re all broken. That’s how I got this…” She paused, pointing at her forehead. “I brought the car here.”

            “I’m going to ask you questions and please answer me clearly.” Dawson, while preparing a report about the case. “What time and where exactly did it happen?”

            “Just today, at exactly 1:51 in the afternoon, 36th Street Midtown, while I was driving us to the company,” Aca answered.

            “What’s the name of your assistant who was sitting in the passenger seat?”

            “Mason Jones.”

            “By any chance, do you know anybody who wants to hurt you?” The officer’s eyes squinted at Ava.

            Ava shook her head. “No. I don’t have any idea. As far as I know, I didn’t hurt anybody.”

            “Thank you for answering my questions. I’m going to send this report to our Chief Officer and can you please leave a contact number so we can call you once we start doing the investigation?”

            “Sure.” Ava fished inside her bag, took a personal card with her contact number, and gave it to the officer.

            “We’ll call you soon, Ma’am. You might have to leave your car outside, but you can keep the keys. What car is it?” Dawson asked.      

            “An army green Dodge Challenger.”

            “Alright. Oh, before you leave. You might have to consider having a bodyguard in the meantime. That ‘someone’ is still out there. We don’t know who he is and what he wants. Thus, a bodyguard is necessary for you these days.”

            Ava fell silent, just staring at the officer. She did not know what to say. She thought about it. If she would have a bodyguard with her, her father wouldn’t be as mad and she and Mason would be safe. “I think I’ll do that. Thank you so much. You didn’t ask for my name.

            Dawson just smiled at her and said, “All the people here know you, Ma’am. Ava Lauren O’Kelly.”

            “Oh.”

            “I’m Dani Dawson.” The officer said, extending her hand out for Ava to shake.

            “Nice to meet you, Dani, and thank you so much.”

            “No problem. Expect for my call.”

            “Will do.” Ava smiled before finally standing up from the chair and walking out of the lobby.            

            She did not waste any more time and hailed a taxi cab. When one stopped by her side, she told the driver, “Central Park” and got in the backseat. While in the yellow taxi cab, she leaned her head on the window and thought about her mother. She realized she had been so caught up with her father, worrying about the standards, that she almost forgot she had a mother who unconditionally loved her with all her heart. But, she did not want to talk to her yet. Not yet because hearing her voice would only make her cry.

            “We’re here.”

            That was fast.

            Ava thought as she paid for the fare and walked out of the taxi. “Thank you.”

She started taking a Monday stroll at the park, passing by people, and enjoying the breeze. Somehow, she ended up sitting on a bench by two large pine trees. It was along the pathway and she just loved being under the shade. While sitting there, she thought about calling Mason so she took her phone out of her bag and dialed his number.

            “I’m here at the office. How did it go?”

            “I need a bodyguard.”