Skip to content
Novel Catalog
Chapter_18
An Unnecessary Casualty
The drive home had been quiet, but by the time we pulled into the driveway, Ava had already fallen asleep. Matthew carefully lifted her from the car and carried her upstairs to bed. I, on the other hand, had no desire to linger in the stillness, so I headed to the bathroom to freshen up.
As I prepared to shower, I noticed Matthew’s phone buzzing relentlessly, a constant interruption in the otherwise quiet house. Each time it rang, he’d glance at it and immediately hang up. It was clear he was avoiding something, or rather, someone. I wasn’t naïve enough to ignore the fact that he’d only act so skittish when I was around.
With my suspicion growing, I stepped into the bathroom, keeping the door ajar to stay alert for any signs of movement outside. Sure enough, I could hear his voice speaking low, almost inaudible—he was talking to someone, and I could only guess who it might be. I quickly dialed Ivanna’s number, and after a moment of waiting, I heard the busy tone, confirming my suspicion that Matthew was, indeed, talking to her.
My hands shook with fury as I hurried through my shower, my mind racing. I knew what I had to do, but the mere thought of it made my blood boil. When I finished, I grabbed a towel and stepped out of the bathroom, only to find Matthew quickly hanging up as he rushed into the room from the balcony. He tried to cover it up with a forced smile.
“Hey, honey, you done?” he asked, taking the towel from my hand and pretending to help dry my hair.
His behavior was far from convincing, and I couldn’t help but ask, “Who just called?”
“Oh, it was my mom,” he replied quickly, almost too quickly.
I didn’t believe a word of it. I’d just dialed her number myself, confirming she hadn’t made any recent calls. My suspicion was confirmed—he was lying again.
I stood there, clenching the towel in my hands, trying to contain the anger building within me. But before I could say anything more, Ava woke up, crying out in distress. Matthew dropped the towel and rushed to her room, leaving me with a painful sense of abandonment.
As I stood there, my mind spiraling, I heard Matthew’s voice calling out to Ava, trying to calm her. But then, in the small bathroom, the phone rang again. Matthew flinched at the sound, and in his frantic attempt to answer it, he forgot he was holding Ava. In that split second, she slipped from his grasp, crashing to the floor with a sickening thud.
I could only watch in horror as Ava screamed, her lip already swelling and bleeding from the fall. My heart shattered, and I rushed to her side, lifting her up as gently as I could. She was in pain, sobbing uncontrollably, her swollen lips trembling as blood stained her face.
“Matthew Murphy, you idiot!” I screamed, my voice raw with anger. He stood frozen, looking at us both in shock as I rushed past him, leaving the bathroom with Ava in my arms.
I cradled my daughter on the couch, desperately trying to stop the bleeding with tissues. My hands trembled as I tried to comfort her, my heart aching for her pain, for the innocence she’d lost because of Matthew’s negligence.
The phone kept ringing in the background, Matthew still paralyzed by guilt or fear. He watched us helplessly, his expression a mix of panic and regret. Ava’s cries pierced the air, but I couldn’t find the words to console her.
I held her close, kissing her forehead repeatedly, my own tears falling as I whispered, “Don’t cry, baby. Mommy’s so sorry.”
Matthew stammered, “Honey, I’m so sorry. I—”
I couldn’t hold back my fury anymore. “Are you even a human being? Look at me! Look at what you’ve done! Can you even face your daughter after this? Why didn’t you answer the phone? Who was calling you?!” I was shaking with rage, my voice raw.
He looked lost, struggling for words. His eyes darted around, unable to meet mine. “I—I didn’t want you to think badly of me,” he began, his voice trembling. “It was Ivanna. She needed me to cover for her. She’s seeing someone else and thought you might find out… so she asked me for advice.”
My blood ran cold as I listened to his pathetic explanation. “And you think lying to me is the right answer?” I seethed, my mind reeling. “You’re more concerned with protecting her than with your own daughter’s well-being.”
Matthew looked down at the floor, guilt evident in his every feature. He had no defense, no excuse.
“I didn’t want you to hate me,” he said softly, his voice breaking. “I didn’t want to lose you.”
But how could I ever forgive him for this? For the way he had placed his obsession with Ivanna over the safety of our daughter, the very one he was supposed to protect? I stared at him, feeling the weight of my disappointment, and watched as his phone rang yet again.
The damage was done. Ava was hurt, and my trust in Matthew was shattered beyond repair.