[AVA]“How do I look?” I twirled around in front of Sean, hoping he’d approve of my cute little black dress for dinner at his place. It was finally the night we had been preparing for, the night when Sean would introduce me as his official girlfriend to his family and friends.To say I was nervous would be an understatement; I was practically trembling under my dress and stilettos. It had been a long time since I had made such an exclusive appearance, especially since my family had gone bankrupt. None of my past relationships had been worth the effort; they never went beyond kissing at frat parties or getting drunk at high-rise nightclubs.The mere thought of Sean’s parents and his obnoxious sister Coraline made my head ache. I could already picture Coraline throwing one of her pointless and over-the-top tantrums.Coraline and I were NOT on good terms these days. She hated my guts for reasons I could not wrap my he
[AVA]This was a complete disaster.I mean, I knew it had the potential to go south—I even warned Sean about it—but I definitely didn't intend for it to turn out this way.Now, I'm desperately hoping I'm mistaken, that this is just another dreadful dream before an important exam, and that everything will be fine once I open my eyes.But how can you wake up from something that's already wide awake?To my utter surprise, it wasn't Coraline who initiated the awkward conversation—it was her boyfriend.Aaron Grant. The notorious rebel of the Grant family. A classic embodiment of a filthy rich bad boy. That guy, from what I knew, only dated supermodels. So you can imagine my shock when I saw him standing next to Coraline. A twenty-one-year-old woman with the maturity level of a nine-year-old."How long has this been going on?" Aaron asked, his dark eyes sparkling with his trademark mischievousness.
[AVA]It's hard to turn down the sad younger brother of your deceased best friend, especially when you used to be just as close to him as he was to his sister. That's probably why, when Kian asked if I needed a ride, I couldn't bring myself to say no. He saw right through my feeble attempts to decline, or maybe it was the frustration etched on my face and the lack of alternatives that made my situation painfully obvious.I slid into the backseat, longing for this nightmare to be over.To be completely honest, all I could think about was kicking off these torturous heels, shedding this suffocating dress, and collapsing onto my bed. I craved the comfort of my covers, wishing to sleep away the memory of tonight's events. It was the only way I could imagine finding solace and moving on without being consumed by despair. I refused to let this one awful day have a lasting impact on my life. I had a bright future ahead, and I wouldn't allow tonight's o
[AVA]All hell broke loose before I even arrived at work.“He’s been fired!” Nicole exclaimed, leaning over the desk and panting as if she had just climbed the stairs from the seventh to the eleventh floor to bring the terrible news.I furrowed my brows, trying to make sense of her urgency. "Take a breath and slow down," I said, placing my handbag and phone on my desk. I turned to face her. "Who are we talking about?"Nicole glanced around, her eyes briefly stopping at Mr. Larson's office. "Your boss."Confusion flooded my mind. I had multiple bosses, so it wasn't exactly a straightforward question. "Which one?" I asked."The immediate one," she clarified, and finally, it clicked in my head.My jaw dropped. "Wait, seriously? Are you kidding me?" This was completely unexpected. "Why? What did he do?""I honestly have no clue, but I'm dying to find out," Nicole exclaimed, shaking her head. "I've
[BRIAN] I constantly remind myself not to meddle, not to stress about what's happening around me, and that it's not my responsibility to fix the mess. But the more I repeat those thoughts in my mind, the stronger my desire becomes to resolve this messed-up situation. The more I feel compelled to get involved, the more I feel the need to protect her. Why? Why do I have such a strong urge to save her before her heart gets shattered? Why does it affect me so deeply? A voice in my head, the most confident one, assures me that it's simply because I've known her for such a long time that it has become an instinct, especially considering she's the exact age my daughter would have been if she were still alive. Every time I think about Valarie, an invisible knife pierces my chest. A sharp pain wells up in my heart, and I can't freaking breathe for a whole damn second. I can't accept how unfair everything is, how none of this wa
[AVA]As I close the door of the restroom and lean against it, panic begins to consume me.What the hell just happened?Did he really...No. It can't be true. It must have all been in my imagination.But what other explanation could there be? He was standing too close—close enough that I could feel his breath on my face, taste the scent of his strong cologne. His fingers beneath my chin left a burning sensation, and his gaze...it felt like he was piercing into my soul.I take a deep breath, attempting to steady my racing heart, and approach the sink to splash water on my face.I need to rid my mind of this absurd notion. Whatever I felt when he pinned me against the door, it can't be what my mind is telling me. It must have been a misunderstanding. It has to be. There's no way he intended any of that to happen. And the way he so rudely threw me out of his office is clear evidence of that.But I'm burning
[AVA] "Why the sudden change of heart?" Brian inquired, his attention still focused on the papers before him as he quickly skimmed through them. I glanced at Sharon, who was glaring at me with obvious annoyance. She had been shooting me those death stares ever since Brian prioritized my unexpected request to speak with him, causing him to cancel his upcoming meeting. It seemed like Sharon took it personally. Did she consider herself Brian's personal babysitter? He was a capable adult who could make his own decisions without someone constantly hovering over him. There was no need for her to make him feel guilty or take it as a personal offense. Sharon was definitely crossing a line. But perhaps I was just overthinking things. It wouldn't be the first time. Ever since Sean told me about the threats he received to break up with me, I had been feeling more than just annoyance. I let out a sigh, my gaze dropping to the tabl
[BRIAN] Once again, despite telling myself not to get involved in other people's messes, I found myself right in the middle of one. There was definitely something wrong with me. Why else would I put myself through this? What was I even thinking? But that wasn't even the scariest part. The fact that I didn't regret interfering in Ava's life at all bothered me even more, making me question my sanity. What happened between us a few hours ago was still fresh in my mind. Actually, it was the only thing I could think about. How could I not? I crossed a damn line. It had been a long, long time since I did something so out of character. I was never the impulsive or impatient type. Every decision and action I took was carefully considered and always had a purpose. But this time, I messed up so badly that I had no idea how to fix it. I just didn't want Ava to misunderstand my actions and intentions. Not that I had done anything to clear up any misunderstandings, assuming there were any. So