Chapter 4~ Play along

Ava whipped around, her heart jumping to her throat as she glanced at Richard's fuming face.

Out of habit, she almost apologised for showing up at a party without his permission, but she stopped herself in time when Cheryl came into view and grabbed Richard’s arm. 

'Of course, she would be here... these two are always stuck together like glue,' Ava mused. 'Makes me wonder why I didn't leave Richard sooner.'

“Ava, why didn’t you tell Richard that you’re coming to the party?” Cheryl asked in her sickeningly sweet voice. 

“I don’t see the need to alert my ex-boyfriend that I’m going to have fun-“

“Is that why you’re dressed like that? Are you here to whore around with your friend’s brothers? Is that it? You’ve never worn such a swimsuit before,” Richard yelled, his tone carrying a hint of accusation as if he had just caught Ava cheating on him. 

Ava coiled her hands into fists, gritting her teeth so hard, she was afraid they would get crushed into powder. 

She opened her mouth to respond, but Nicole beat her to it. 

“You scumbag! How dare you talk to Ava like that? Are you forgetting the whore beside you is in a bikini?” She spat. “Besides, this is a pool party. What did you want her to wear? Your hoodie and sweatpants? And so what if she catches the eyes of my brothers? At least they are hot blondes and very rich, unlike your broke unemployed ass!” 

Richard glared at Nicole, his brown eyes narrowing before he glanced at Ava. 

“Are you going to allow your friend to insult your boyfriend?” He questioned coldly, his voice laced with anger and irritation like he wanted to strangle someone. 

Nicole stepped forward, but Ava grabbed her hand, and when Nicole stared at her, Ava shook her head. 

“Let me handle this,” she murmured. 

Ava stared Richard straight in the eyes, her voice firm as she scoffed. “I thought I made it clear when I dumped you. You’re not my darned boyfriend anymore, Richard. So don’t act like you have a right to talk about what I do, or what I wear. You lost that right the day you chose my sister over me.” 

“What are you talking about, Ava? Why would I steal Richard from you? He loves you so much… Don't tell me you’re throwing a tantrum because of me. Richard only feels sorry for me because I lost my mother, and sometimes when I’m alone, I think about her a lot-“ 

Cheryl broke down into sobs mid-sentence, raising her hands to cover her face to hide her non-existent tears. 

When Richard saw this, his heart squeezed with pain. 

Cheryl had always been a kind-hearted person. It wasn’t fair that Ava kept mistreating her. So, to not make her feel bad, he always took her side and stood up for her whenever her sister bullied her. 

Tonight was no different. 

He wasn’t going to let Ava bully Cheryl just because her mother left her a huge inheritance.

He shot a cold glare at Ava, draping his arm around Cheryl’s shoulders protectively as if she would break if he so much as let go of her. 

“Will you stop it?” Richard hissed. “How long will you continue tormenting Cheryl? It’s not her fault that she’s an orphan. Will you keep being jealous of her close relationship with your Dad? Stop being so childish! Cheryl has done nothing to you. Give her a break!” 

A pang of pain shot through Ava’s heart. Quite all right, she had dumped Richard, but it still hurt to hear him take her scheming stepsister’s side.

But what's new? 

Cheryl was always everyone’s favourite, while Ava was always the bad guy. 

A sigh escaped her lips. She didn’t know if it was alcohol in her system, but she suddenly felt relieved. 

She let out a dark chuckle, looking at Richard as if he was just a random man she had met at the party. 

“My apologies for hurting your beloved. From now on, we’re strangers. I won’t talk about how you’ve left me in a huge debt, or how you’ve never chosen me in the three years that we’ve dated. All I’ll say is that I wish the two of you happiness… you deserve each other,” Ava said and turned to leave. 

“Where do you think you’re going? Ava, if you don’t go back home this instant, I won’t take you back even if you crawl on the floor, begging me for forgiveness.”

“Beg you for forgiveness? Who are you?” Ava sneered, turning to give the couple a look of disdain. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’ve already upgraded. I’ve got a new man and he’s better than you.”

“A new man? You? Haha… Ava, stop messing around. We both know you can’t live without me. There’s no way you would leave me when you love me so much,” Richard mocked, his voice sounding like a bad song in Ava’s ears. 

She clenched her fists before glancing at the man on the couch, who seemed to have been watching the free show. 

“Richard, since you won’t believe that I can find somebody better than you, let me show you,” she said before moving forward, her heels clicking on the ground, her hips swaying from side to side like a model on a runway. 

Moments later, she reached the couch where Kylan Kingsley was seated. 

His face was unreadable, but his eyes were still locked on hers. 

Watching. 

Waiting to see what she was going to do. 

Ava turned to make sure Richard was watching. A smirk played on her lips as she turned to face the handsome billionaire. 

“Play along with me, will you?” She murmured before straddling him and crashing her lips on his.