The living room was heavy, like air itself was tired of breathing. Nobody talk, nobody move, everyone just staring like time stop. Daphne's hands was shaking a bit, her eyes moving between her son and Ava like she can't even trust what she's seeing.
"You… you can't give birth?" she said, her voice small and cracking. "Why didn't you tell me, Ava?"
Ava's lips moved but no word came out first. She looked away, face wet and shiny. "I didn't want anybody pitying me," she whispered, voice so low it almost disappeared.
Daphne just sighed, long and sad. "Adam, why you hide something like this from me?" she asked, sounding tired more than angry.
Adam rubbed his neck, looking like a boy caught lying. "She made me promise," he said softly. "Didn't want you to worry."
Everything felt like it could break. Dawn sat on the couch, eyes fixed on Ava, and for the first time, anger in her chest start to melt into something else. Guilt maybe.
Without saying a thing, Ava turned and walked upstairs, her heels hitting the marble floor too loud.
Daphne turned to Dawn, her voice soft but firm. "Dawn, sweetheart, I know you're hurting. Losing a baby… no mother should go through that. But Ava wouldn't hurt anyone, not when she loves children like her own." She touched Dawn's hand before standing up. "I'll go check on her."
Adam crouched near Dawn. "Please rest," he said quietly, before walking out, leaving everything heavy behind.
Leslie and Jason had been sitting quiet the whole time. They looked at each other, eyes full of worry.
"I didn't mean to hurt her," Dawn said, her voice trembling. "If I knew she couldn't have kids…" She swallowed hard. "But she was the only one home."
Leslie scooted closer. "Remember when Tara told you Alex betrayed you? You believed her and it turned out not to be true. Maybe this is like that too. Maybe something else caused it. Maybe it wasn't her fault."
Jason nodded. "You always said we should look for the truth first."
"The food was poisoned," Dawn snapped. "Tested. I'm not making that up."
"Are you sure no one else came by?" Leslie said quietly.
That made Dawn shoot up from the couch. "You think I'm lying? You're supposed to be on my side!"
"We're on the side of truth," Jason said, steady but gentle. "Ava's not that type."
Tears stung Dawn's eyes. She didn't reply, just turned and stormed upstairs, her footsteps shaking through the silence.
* * * * * *
Ava sat on her bedroom floor, knees close to her chest, photo frames shattered around her. Her sobs were deep, wild. She couldn't forget Adam's eyes, the way he looked at her like she was something poisonous.
Daphne knocked softly. "Ava, honey?"
No answer. Just another sob, rough and painful.
* * * * * *
Across town, Tara paced her apartment like her floor was on fire. The night outside was loud but inside only her voice filled it.
"I didn't know she was pregnant," she whispered, grabbing her hair. "I didn't mean for that baby to die." Her breath came fast, shaky. "It was just supposed to make her sick, not this."
She looked in the mirror and almost didn't recognize herself; eyes dark, skin pale. "What have I done," she whispered, and it sounded like someone else's voice.
* * * * * *
Morning came slow. Light slipped into the house, weak and pale. Ava came down the stairs with her bags, face dry but swollen from crying.
"Ava, what are you doing?" Daphne asked.
"Leaving," Ava said softly. "You believe me, I know that. But it's not enough. Adam looked at me like I was a stranger."
Daphne shook her head. "Please, don't ..."
"I can't stay where love feels like doubt," Ava said, voice shaking.
Leslie and Jason ran downstairs. "You don't have to go," Leslie said, tears running fast. "We believe you."
Ava smiled a little, pulled them into a hug. "You two have been like my own," she said, handing them a small wrapped box. "Open it after graduation, okay?"
Then she faced Dawn, eyes tired but calm. "I didn't do it," she said. No yelling, no defense—just truth that no one wanted to hear. She hugged Daphne tight, whispered something only she heard, then walked out.
The door closed soft but heavy. Leslie broke down. "She'll be okay, right?"
Jason's voice wavered. "Yeah… she will."
Dawn just stood there, staring at nothing. Then she walked to her room and shut the door behind her, her heart somewhere she couldn't reach.
* * * * * *
Ava walked through the street, cars honking, people moving too fast. She didn't hear any of it. Tears blurred everything, until she bumped into someone.
"Watch where you're ..." the woman stopped. "Ava?"
Tara.
Ava wiped her face. "Stay away from me," she said, her voice rough, then walked off without looking back.
Tara just stood there, watching her fade into the crowd. Her jaw clenched, but her eyes looked almost scared.
* * * * * *
Night again. Adam came home, the house half-dark. Daphne sat on the couch, eyes swollen.
"Mom, why you still up?" Adam asked quietly.
"She left," Daphne said, voice low. "Ava's gone."
He froze. "What?"
"She said she can't stay where she's not trusted," Daphne replied, turning her face away. "You've been married three years, Adam. You should've known her better than this."
Adam closed his eyes, pain flashing across his face. "I didn't mean for this ..."
But Daphne was already walking upstairs, saying nothing more.
He hit his forehead against the wall, once, whispering, "What have I done." Then he grabbed his coat and ran out.
* * * * * *
Upstairs, Leslie sat on her bed holding Ava's gift box, tears falling quietly. Jason came in and sat beside her.
"Don't cry too much," he said softly. "She'll be fine."
"I don't believe she could do that," Leslie said through tears. "Yeah, I heard someone say 'the job was done,' but it could've meant anything. The way Ava talked to us, laughed with us… it was real."
Jason pulled her close. "I know. Dawn needs us more than ever right now. She gave up so much for this family. But if Ava's innocent, we can't just let her take the fall. We have to find proof before everything collapses."
Leslie sniffled, nodding. "She said she couldn't have kids. I saw it in her eyes, Jason, she was really hurting."
"I like her too," Jason said quietly. "That's why we're going to fight for her. She deserves someone in her corner."
Leslie smiled weakly. "She even got us presents. I thought she forgot, the way she acted weird when we asked about it."
Jason glanced toward the door, voice soft but certain. "We told her she could take us as siblings. And she did. So that makes her ours now."
"Yeah. She gave us this before she left," Leslie said, voice shaking. "She still thought of us."
They opened the box together. New phones. The same ones they'd wanted. Leslie pressed hers to her chest and sobbed.
"That's who she is," Jason said, eyes wet too.
* * * * * *
Dawn lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The house was too quiet. Her phone buzzed. She reached for it and froze.
A new message. From Tara.
Her eyes scanned the words and her face turned pale, lips parting as if air suddenly vanished.