Everyone at the round table gasped upon hearing that one single word. Ethan bowed his head in shame as he looked on to his father who was already staring at him.
He thought Ava was going to keep up with the lie but her sudden revelation would mean his father could strip him off the position as the leader of the Corporate squad.
"Can you explain?" Christopher asked her in a low tone still trying to recover from the shock of her revelation.
"When Ethan approached me, he offered me a contract to be his wife for six months. All through those months, I stay faithful as a wife would, obey his instruction and before the time could elapse. I kind of started having feelings for him" Ava was rudely interrupted by Priscilla.
"Darling, this woman here is a con artist and she has just proved my suspicion." She was never worthy of being part of this round table from the beginning." Priscilla explained, turning her attention to everyone seated.
"Father, although I offered her a contract, it is important to say that I fell in love with her and now she is with my child." He turned to Priscilla, who is still standing on her feet.
"That is enough reason to show that she is part of the round table and also enough reason to show that she is my wife."
"Father, I have to admit that Ethan is delusional man." Damon said, standing up to his feet.
There is a loud gasps amongst the other Darwains seated at the round table. The atmosphere is filled with so much tension.
"Ava has been with me for the past two years. She has a child for Ethan but he never stood by her side. He cannot claim a child he never had any impact upon." Damon buttressed his points further, while staring down at Ethan with much hatred in his eyes.
"This tension between the both of you needs to be resolved and as head of the table, it is my decision that must be obeyed!" Lord Christopher expressed loudly.
He opens his mouth to speak, but the words will not come out. A sensational pain hit his chest and he begins to cough aggressively.
"Father, are you alright?"
He held the table for support as he continued to cough. Priscilla grabbed a glass of water and rushed over to her husband.
Before he could grab the cup of water, Lord Christopher dropped to the floor. Everyone on the table rose to their feet; panic begins to set in as some of the soldiers rushed into the room.
Ethan helped the soldiers as they lift his body and quickly stepped out of the room, while the rest of the Holmes members followed behind.
Ava handed her child to one of the maids and rushed over to meet Damon, who is waiting for her in his car.
Minutes later, they all arrived at the family's hospital where his body is being taken by the nurse to the emergency unit.
Damon walked to his mother to offer her comfort as she is sobbing. Ava noticed Ethan staring at her and she moved her eyes away.
Hours later, the doctor arrived and everyone rushed over to meet him.
"This is a sad situation." He expressed. "Lord Christopher is dead."
The hallway became silent for a brief moment before Priscilla's shattering scream followed. She dropped to her knees crying, while Damon held on to comfort her.
"What could have caused his death doctor?" Ethan asked.
"The autopsy test will be ready in a couple of hours. I will advise everyone to go back home for now." Priscilla was inconsolable. Other members of the Holmess surrounded her to offer support.
Ava watched the pain in Ethan's eyes as he walked away. For some reason, she felt the need to talk to him even though she knew he could cast her away.
"I will be right back." She said to Damon, before walDamon out of the hall way.
When she stepped outside, Ava is glad to see he is talking on the phone and not actually leaving the premises.
"What do you want?" Ethan asked, after he hanged up from the phone.
"Look, I understand things haven't been particularly okay with the both of us. I came to offer my sincere condolence for the death of your father." She revealed.
"Why don't you go back to your husband and tell him those words."
Ava is taken off guard by his words. Ethan stepped into his car and moved away from the hospital, while she stood there speechless.
"Ava!" Damon called her name and when she turned around, he threw a key at her. "Get the car" He said, while helping Priscilla into the second car parked.
When Ava got inside the car, her thoughts went back to her conversation with Ethan. It is obvious he is going to keep hating her. She doesn't mind the hate because she believed he had caused what happened between the both of them.
When they arrived at the mansion, Ava walked towards Damon and they both held hands stepping into the living room.
Some of the Holmes keeps consoling Priscilla, while the rest take their sits sobering silently as the atmosphere is moody.
"Someone needs to explain to me why a healthy man like my father will be poisoned." Ethan broke the silence in the room.
"Ethan, have some respect and allow the mourning to go on." Damon replied.
"Mourning? There is clearly something you all are not telling me. My father has never been a man known to be sick. He has been very healthy and I am damn sure that his health has never at any point been bad."
"So, what are you trying to say?" Damon asked.
"You can paint it as you like, tomorrow when the lawyer comes around and the announcement of the next in line to the head of the table is made, I will start my investigation." He stood up from the couch and before he leaves, takes one look at Ava.
She could not tell which could have made his temper flared up; their discussion earlier at the hospital or the death of their father.