novelraw Chapter 202: The Confusion
Chapter 202: The Confusion
"I have got the ticket," Ava said, walking back to Azazel and stopping right beside him.
He had not returned to his usual cheerful self since stepping away to make the call.
"Oh... I’m sorry baby, I was cut off here," he replied quickly, forcing a small smile as he slipped his phone back into his pocket.
Ava nodded gently. "There is no problem."
Her voice was calm, but her eyes stayed on him a little longer than normal, studying him.
Azazel, unaware, turned his face slightly away, pretending to look at the park lights.
The moment he did, his expression dropped again serious, distant, like his thoughts were somewhere far away.
"Let’s go?" Ava asked, her voice softer than before, less excited than when they first arrived.
"Yeah," Azazel answered.
They walked hand in hand toward the Ferris wheel.
The park around them was alive bright lights flickering like stars, laughter echoing from nearby rides, and the smell of popcorn and sweet caramel drifting through the air. But Azazel wasn’t present in any of it.
Ava felt it immediately.
His hand in hers wasn’t steady the way it had been before; it clung a little too firmly, fingers pressing into her skin as if he didn’t notice how tight his grip had become.
A faint dampness spread across his palm, warm against her own, and she noticed how his thumb had stopped moving altogether.
The playful ease from earlier was gone.
In its place, a quiet stiffness in the way he held her like his thoughts were somewhere else entirely, and his body had simply forgotten to let go
"Ladies first," Azazel said, opening the Ferris wheel booth door as the attendant stamped their ticket.
"Thank you," Ava replied, stepping inside.
The cabin was warm and neatly arranged. Soft cream cushions stretched along both sides, with a small round table between them.
Through the glass, the city began to rise beneath them as the Ferris wheel slowly moved.
For a few minutes, Ava leaned slightly toward the window, watching the world shrink below tiny lights, moving cars, and distant music blending into a soft hum. It was beautiful.
But something felt off.
Azazel wasn’t looking out at all.
His eyes kept dropping, then lifting again, then drifting away.
His jaw was slightly tight, and his brows would crease for a second before relaxing again, like he was fighting something inside himself.
Ava slowly turned toward him.
"Azazel?" she called softly.
No response.
"Azazel?" she tried again, gently touching his hand.
He flinched slightly, as if pulled back into the present.
"Yes, love," he answered quickly.
Ava’s expression softened. She slowly shifted closer, concern rising in her eyes.
Before she could speak again, the cabin tilted slightly as the wheel turned, and Azazel instinctively reached out, placing a steady hand around her waist.
"Careful," he said quietly.
Ava nodded and settled back down. She didn’t let go of his hand this time. Instead, she held it between both of hers.
"Sweetie..." she called gently.
"Hm," he responded, offering a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
"Is everything alright?" she asked, watching him closely now.
Azazel let out a slow breath and leaned back slightly, staring ahead.
"I don’t know, love," he admitted. "I just have this bad feeling... and Roman’s phone is not going through."
Ava frowned immediately, her grip tightening around his hand.
"May God make everything alright," she whispered softly.
Azazel nodded, but the silence that followed felt heavier than before.
Inside the cabin, there was no sound except the soft mechanical movement of the wheel turning and the faint rush of wind outside the glass.
Azazel’s hand, resting on the cushion, tightened slightly. His fingers pressed into the fabric without him noticing.
Ava noticed everything.
But she said nothing.
After a moment, Azazel finally exhaled again, his voice lower.
"Ava... I think we should leave."
She didn’t argue.
"Okay," she said immediately.
The Ferris wheel slowly came to a stop, and when their booth reached the platform, Azazel opened the door for her, still alert, still tense.
As they stepped out, the amusement park lights felt a little dimmer than before.
And Azazel still hadn’t let go of that feeling in his chest.
"Sure," Ava said softly.
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke. The Ferris wheel reached its stopping point with a gentle mechanical hum, the booth swaying slightly before settling completely.
Azazel stepped forward immediately, opening the door for her with practiced care.
Ava gave him a small nod and stepped out first, her hair catching the soft breeze as they descended.
The air outside felt cooler after being inside the enclosed booth, brushing lightly against their skin.
They walked back toward the car in quiet steps.
The amusement park noise still echoed faintly behind them laughter, music, and the distant spinning of rides but between them, there was a strange silence.
Azazel walked slightly ahead, then quickly moved to open the car door for Ava as soon as they arrived.
His movements were polite, almost automatic, but his mind was clearly elsewhere.
"Please calm down," Ava said gently as she settled into the seat. "Just because you didn’t hear from him doesn’t mean something happened to him, okay?"
Azazel paused for a second, then forced a small nod. "Yeah... you’re right."
He closed her door, walked around to the driver’s seat, and got in. The engine came alive with a low rumble as he started the car.
His shoulders dropped slightly, as if her words had eased the tension inside him, even if just a little.
They drove in silence for a while.
After a few minutes, the car slowed and came to a stop in front of a mall.
Ava turned toward him, confused. "Why did you stop here?"
Azazel unfastened his seatbelt quickly. "I almost forgot your sister’s gift," he said, already opening the door. "I need to get it."
Ava blinked. "Are you sure you want to do this now?"
He looked back at her briefly, his expression calm but firm. "I promised her."
Then he added, more softly, "She’s little... I don’t want her to feel disappointed."
Before Ava could respond further, he was already outside the car.
"Are you coming?" he asked, leaning slightly toward her window. His voice was steady, but there was still a quiet urgency underneath it.
Ava shook her head. "No, go ahead. I’ll wait here."
Azazel nodded once, then turned and walked into the mall entrance.
---
Back at the Thompson Mansion, the atmosphere was much calmer but Julie’s heart told a different story.
She stirred slowly on the bed, her eyelashes fluttering open as soft daylight filtered through the curtains. For a few seconds, she just stared at the ceiling.