Turning Of The Tide (Natalie and Trevon) novel Chapter 586

The next morning, Ava was already waiting at the school gate for Alex. Alex hurriedly rode in on a small donkey, wearing a black short-sleeved shirt and loose blue jeans, exuding a tomboyish vibe.

Even more so than Frank, Alex seemed to lean into a more masculine style. Frank nodded in greeting, as he rarely initiated conversations with girls other than Ava.

Alex's electric motorcycle trailed beside the couple, gliding with her feet, moving at their walking pace but at a sluggish speed. "How come you guys are here so early? Today's just registration, no classes. Ava, you could've slept an extra five minutes. I live quite far, so I'm pressed for time."

"Is your place really remote? How long does it take?" Ava inquired curiously.

Alex calculated, "It's about 40 minutes by electric motorcycle. It's not too bad, though. Houses there are a bit cheaper."

"That's quite far," Ava remarked, surprised.

"Ah, it's not far. Besides, it's a great workout, right? Bro, should I go with Ava to register first, or will you accompany her?" Alex noticed another girl behind Ava, her hair tied in a neat ponytail, standing upright, exuding a confident aura.

Frank offered, "I'll go with her."

"Okay, I'll head out then. See you later." With that, Alex revved her scooter and zoomed off towards the academic building.

Frank accompanied Ava to complete the registration, filling out the necessary forms. They were accompanied by a bodyguard who even accompanied her to the restroom, taking turns to ensure her safety. Ava didn't object; she actually found it comforting, appreciating the added security.

As noon approached, inside the library, a handsome man sat with an adorable girl, engrossed in their books.

He occasionally massaged her waist with delicate movements, attracting the attention of many students around.

The man naturally shielded himself from the curious gazes around and lowered his voice, asking, "Is your waist sore?"

The girl shook her head softly. "No, are you going to read?"

Their voices were hushed, audible only to each other, reminiscent of mischievous students whispering in class.

With one hand gently massaging her waist, Frank's movements were soothing, trying to alleviate her fatigue. "No need to read," he said softly. "Just looking at you is enough."

Suddenly, Frank's phone in his pocket seemed to go haywire, incessantly vibrating, almost draining its battery. His leg felt numb from the constant buzzing. Inwardly, Frank cursed whoever it was with such relentless messages.

With some effort, he freed a hand and checked the phone. It was Hackett bombarding him with messages, probably recovered from his concussion and now being a nuisance with one text after another.

Hackett's message read, [Frank, buddy, you've been there for half a month already. When are you coming back to prepare for the wedding? Trevon mentioned you guys were planning it in two months! Is it real?]

His second message read, [Are you planning a minimalist wedding? You're not coming back to prepare at all? Bring the little princess to Athana; It feels like an eternity since I saw you last time. I miss you so much.]

His third message read, [Is your little princess having a twin or a single child?]

And then, he went on asking, [What's the theme for your wedding? Mordern? Ancient style? Have you decided?]

Finally, he sent another message, [When exactly is the wedding? Which date?]

After reading through all the messages, Frank felt an intense urge to reach through the phone and give Hackett a good shake. He sighed inwardly and replied, [Are you sure your concussion has been treated? Maybe get your wife's friend to scan your brain again.]

[I'll cover the expenses.]

Hackett texted, [Get lost! I just missed you. Is this a mistake? You're just made for a solitary life.]

Frank replied, [You can temporarily forget about my existence. Thanks to your whole family.]

Hackett was speechless. In truth, he was genuinely bored. Sherri was afraid of potential complications from his injury, so she didn't let him work. He was stuck at home every day, practically growing fur on him.

Ignoring Hackett's subsequent incessant chatter, Frank didn't engage further.

He simply set his phone to 'Do Not Disturb' mode, rendering Hackett's subsequent antics ineffective in disturbing him.

Exiting the library, Frank held Ava's hand, while Alex stood on the other side, followed by their bodyguard.

"Ava, I won't join you guys for lunch. I'm running late; I have a part-time job starting this afternoon. See you later. Take care of Ava,"

Alex said as she descended the stairs, preparing to head to the parking lot. Frank had a favorable impression of Alex, the boyish figure. "Bye, mate. Thanks."

Ava had shared with Frank how she had come to a realization, crediting Alex for her newfound perspective. She relayed Alex's words to Frank, for which he felt genuinely grateful.

When Alex, unaware of what Frank was thankful for, made a courteous gesture, saying, "You're welcome, no problem."

Hand in hand, their fingers interlocked, Ava and Frank strolled along the pathways of Sapphire City University. Even on these smaller paths, students were bustling to and fro.

"Hey, Ava, is that your boyfriend?" a girl from the same department greeted them and asked with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Ava lifted their entwined hands in the air, beaming brightly. "Not a boyfriend, he's my husband. I'm married."

Not just the girl who asked, but even Frank, standing beside her, was momentarily stunned. He then subtly curved his lips, a light chuckle escaping his chest. It took the girl a moment before she offered her congratulations and left.

It wasn't uncommon for girls to get married during their postgraduate studies at the university. However, unlike Ava, most chose to keep it low-key, often opting for cohabitation off-campus rather than openly acknowledging their marital status.

Once the girl departed, Ava's smile returned, radiant as starlight. Deep down, she pondered when her husband would finally address her as his wife.

She thought, "It shouldn't be too long, right?

"Wife, haha, sounds really nice."

And for Frank, he quite liked being called 'husband' by the young girl. After all, anyone could call Frank by his name—sometimes even Hackett in his eccentric moments, Trevon, Grace, and the rest. As for Rose, who knows what she might call him. But 'husband' was indeed a unique and special title.

It was something he liked.

She hugged his neck, and he held her delicately, tenderly. Still in a groggy state, her voice soft and muffled, she asked, "Where did you go every night?"

Frank paused for a moment, then quickly regained his composure. He shifted her to the side, helping cover her with the blanket before getting in himself. Even inside the covers, she kept asking him.

Seeing her persistent demeanor, as if she wouldn't sleep without an answer, Frank reluctantly compromised. A few words escaped his lips, "Athana."

All traces of sleepiness vanished. His words were loud enough to startle the baby inside. "Athana?" She looked at the tired person before her in disbelief.

Her heart ached with empathy, causing her distress. It took her a while to regain her composure. She had been so immersed in Frank's affection lately that her mind had been clouded. Going to class together, sleeping together... Her intelligence seemed to have diminished by several degrees. Now, combining this incident with his previous disappearances, Ava made a deduction. "So, after I fall asleep at night, you go to Athana and then come back to Sapphire City in the early morning?"

As the words left her lips, a glimmer shone in Ava's eyes. Her throat felt tight, her eyes teary.

Witnessing her emotional turmoil, Frank panicked. He hurriedly tried to soothe her, explaining, "Don't cry. I just went to check on how Grace was doing. If you don't like it, I won't go back."

He gently pressed the back of her head against his chest, tenderly caressing her back. "I'm sorry. You must have worried about me. It isn't my intention."

He had simply gone to check on Grace's wedding preparations, ensuring everything was on track and overseeing any last-minute additions. He also wanted to supervise a surprise being arranged for the young girl, fearful that the workers might make mistakes.

If he didn't come back, he worried the young girl might become scared, feeling unsafe.

Ava now realized her mistake. Her anxiety had inadvertently burdened Frank with a significant workload, leading him to shuttle between Athana and Sapphire City. She felt a pang of heartache.

Why was he so silly?

But ultimately, she had been immature. Sniffling, she said, "Honey, take a few days off and go back to Athana. I'm not scared anymore, really, I'm not. Look, I haven't had any irrational thoughts during this time."

She shook her head vigorously, desperately trying to convey that she genuinely wasn't scared anymore. A teardrop trembled at the corner of her eye and cascaded down, landing on the back of Frank's hand.

There was a brief chill passed through the room. Frank glanced down at the back of his hand, then lifted his gaze to the young girl, raising his hand to gently wipe away the tear from her eye, his lips pressed tightly together.

Ava withdrew from Frank's embrace, looking at him with determination. Seeing his lips part, she spoke first, "I know what you want to say. You want to say it's because of you being here. But actually, I've realized it now. I have two babies in my belly, and I'll take good care of myself. I won't let my mind wander. In a few days, you can go back to Athana without worries. If I feel lonely, I'll have Alex come over to stay with me. Of course, she won't sleep in this bed. This place is still exclusively yours."

She patted the bed as she said that.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine. At school, I have Alex and the bodyguards my brother arranged for me. It's very safe. Nothing will happen. I even have protection when I go to the bathroom. Isn't that good? You're preparing for our wedding, aren't you? You can't take your eyes off me." The young girl saw him stunned and started to act coquettishly.

She couldn't be so immature, letting Frank run around like this. If things continued this way, her health would deteriorate before the wedding.

Relentless, as if to say she'd be upset if he didn't agree, the young girl pressed on. Unable to resist her adorable demeanor, Frank eventually relented, "Well, okay, I'll stay a few more days, then I'll go back."

Seeing Frank agree, Ava felt relieved. She smiled, "Good, let's sleep now. Hold me while you sleep."

Frank gently settled down, cradling her in his arms. "Mm."