His Book Said I Was Evil Chapter 2

Ava Bennett POV

I stared at the husband in front of me in disbelief.

Annie struggled desperately in Serena’s arms, crying so hard she could barely breathe.

Her little hands reached through the empty air toward me with all their strength as she called Mommy again and again.

Julian stood in front of me, his expression cold.

Between my dignity and my daughter, I had never had a second choice.

I dug my nails hard into my palm, and the sharp pain came from my hand, yet it was not even one ten-thousandth of the pain in my heart.

I lowered my head and heard my own emotionless voice. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have pushed you.”

Serena held my hand with a gentle and forgiving look. “Ava, don’t say that, today really was because I didn’t hold it steady, so don’t be angry.”

Whispers came from the surrounding guests.

Everyone looked at Serena with eyes full of approval, and when they looked at me, only disgust and contempt remained.

Only then did Julian’s expression ease a little.

He took Annie back from Serena’s arms, stuffed her back into mine, and calmly instructed, “Take her to the back and let the doctor handle it, and don’t ruin everyone’s mood.”

When the banquet ended, a light rain had begun outside.

Holding Annie, who had been treated with medicine and had fallen asleep from exhaustion after crying, I waited for a long time in the cold, damp underground garage.

The evening wind blew over me, so cold it made people shiver.

In the end, it was the old family butler who came over with an umbrella.

He handed me the umbrella and spoke with some difficulty. “Madam, Mr. Prescott drove Miss Hale home, and Mr. Prescott said you should call a cab back yourself.”

I took the umbrella and gave a self-mocking laugh in the cold rain.

I gave up completely.

I did not want to stay in this home for even one more second.

I took a deep breath, took out my phone, and called Serena’s cousin, Ethan Brooks.

Ethan was the only person in the Hale family who saw Serena’s true face, and he had long hated the Hale family’s hypocrisy to the bone.

“The thing you mentioned last month, about taking Annie abroad to settle down and hold an art exhibition, I agree, so help me arrange it, the sooner the better, and don’t let Julian know.”

On the other end of the phone, Ethan’s voice was low and decisive. “Okay, handling the paperwork and preparing the house abroad will take about a week, so wait for my message and be ready to leave anytime.”

After hanging up, I took Annie home.

Julian had not come back yet.

I carried Annie upstairs and carefully helped her change into her pajamas.

Looking at the thin gauze wrapped around the back of her hand, my heart ached again and again.

I swore that I would definitely take her away from here with me.

I stayed by her side until her breathing evened out, and only then did I get up to go to the study for spare cotton swabs and medicine.

The study door was half-closed, and the desk lamp was still on.

A sheet of paper lay flat on the desk, and Julian’s handwriting was on it.

His fountain pen writing was very neat, stroke by stroke, as if he were recording some kind of daily routine.

I had not meant to pry, but after just one glance, my feet could no longer move.

On that page was written:

[Old Mr. Prescott’s birthday banquet, Ava Bennett will deliberately push Serena down out of jealousy and try to ruin Serena’s reputation, which is the beginning of her vicious nature being revealed.]

Below that line, Julian had written two words heavily with a fountain pen, and the ink was very fresh, clearly written tonight: [Fulfilled.]

Looking at those two lines, my hands began to tremble uncontrollably.

No wonder Julian did not even look at Annie at the birthday banquet today and decided at once that I had pushed Serena.

So in his eyes, this accident was not an accident at all, but a vicious scheme I had planned for a long time.

There were many more lines on the paper, and each line had a clear date marked in front of it.

Some had already passed, and behind each one was Julian’s own handwritten “Fulfilled.”

And some dates had not yet arrived.

Under that page of paper, there was also a journal pressed beneath it.

The ink on the newest line was not fully dry yet, and it was a prophecy pointing to next Thursday:

[October twenty-first, Annie’s kindergarten performance, Ava Bennett will be unable to tolerate Serena getting close to the child and will attack Serena again in the backstage lounge, causing Serena’s head to be injured and bleed...]

The words after that were blurred by a blot of ink, and nothing could be seen clearly.