[SEAN]In hindsight, it was clear that he was the culprit all along. I couldn’t understand why I had been so reluctant to accuse him of something so obvious. He had a clear motive for his actions, and given our history, it should have been easy to see through his deception. Instead, I had found it easier to point the finger at Coraline.How could I be so stupid?I parked the car in his driveway, and as soon as it came to a stop, I flung open the door and slammed it shut with a loud bang. My hands were trembling slightly as I hit the button for the elevator and waited impatiently for his floor to arrive. When it did, I marched down the hallway until I reached his door, my heart racing with anticipation.I pushed the buzzer aggressively, impatiently waiting for Aaron to answer. The anticipation was killing me, my hands were shaking with an adrenaline rush.When he finally opened the door, his eyes widened in disbelief at first, before a smirk curled at the corner of his mouth. He took a
[BRIAN]I couldn't help but nervously drum my fingers on the steering wheel, desperately trying to calm the jitters crawling up my arms and spine. I rolled my shoulders repeatedly, searching for some relief, and glanced at the rearview mirror out of habit, even though I had no specific reason to do so. I just needed any kind of distraction to keep myself from going crazy.Now, you're probably wondering why I was so anxious. Well, it all started about a week ago.Things had been going well. I had a civil conversation with Georgina and kindly explained that getting back together wasn't the right solution. Ava was studying hard for her exams, and I made sure to give her the space and time she needed. Although, I must confess, I did manage to convince her to sneak out of her house every now and then so she could study at my place. I even cooked her favorite meals just to see her smile. And Kian, well, I was proud of how he had been excelling in school recently. His teachers stopped comp
[AVA]I took a deep breath, trying to calm the butterflies fluttering in my stomach as I stared at the towering penthouse before me. Seeing Brian again after such a long time filled me with a mix of excitement and nerves.I had arrived in the city just a few hours ago and immediately made my way to Brian's penthouse. It was a spontaneous decision, but I couldn't bear to wait any longer to be in his presence. Perhaps it was unconventional that I hadn't even informed my parents about my arrival, prioritizing seeing Brian above all else. But the truth was, my heart led me here, and I couldn't deny the pull I felt towards him.Despite being away from my hometown for two years, I had managed to meet Brian a few times during my time in Canada. He would surprise me by showing up at the restaurant where I worked, and we would steal a few precious hours to catch up on each other's lives. Those encounters were bittersweet, as they reminded us of the physical distance separating us.I hadn't rev
[AVA]"Can you please turn off the lights?" He spoke with a commanding yet surprisingly gentle voice. His patience, usually evident in his piercing gray eyes, blended with his voice, making him sound incredibly attractive. It ignited a fire within me, sending a shiver down my spine, reaching the tips of my toes and curling them with a newfound desire.Having such intense feelings for someone like him felt forbidden. Not only was he someone I shouldn't be involved with, but he was also at least twenty years older than me.It was wrong to feel anything other than sympathy and sadness for him.It was wrong for me to be here. In a hotel room. As his companion.It was wrong not to tell him the truth.But as I walked into the room, closed the door behind me, and switched off the lights, all the complications of our situation faded away, just like the light that had filled the room before I entered.I noticed him shifting on the bed, and although it took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the
[AVA]"Seriously, Mom? Can you please stop?" I groaned, feeling exasperated yet again. However, her relentless attempts to tame my unruly frizzy hair made me push her hands away and step back."What's the matter?" she snapped, trying to keep her voice low but clearly irritated. "I'm just trying to help you. What's wrong with that?" She rolled her eyes and shook her head as if she had reached her limit with my childish behavior. "Tonight is a big opportunity for you. What did you do with the money I gave you to go to the salon and get ready? Don't tell me you wasted it on books or other academic stuff," she huffed. "Didn't I emphasize how important this party is, Ava? Why don't you listen to me anymore?"I let out a frustrated sigh.In simple terms, my mother was trying to set me up with a wealthy guy so that our lives could become a little less miserable, at least temporarily. While I tried to understand her desperation, considering our difficult circumstances, it didn't mean I could
[AVA]Ava?” The guy stood there, utterly shocked, his eyes bulging out as if they might pop right out of his head.Oh, great! This was definitely not part of the plan. At least not so soon."Is it really you?" he stammered, furrowing his brows and adjusting his rimless spectacles on his nose. "How... what... when... WHAT?"To put it simply: I was in deep trouble. Like, really, really screwed!After leaving the party, I had called a cab and headed to the address given by the client, although it was quite a challenge with my mom still nagging at me. It took about twenty minutes to reach the location and another five minutes to dodge the reception and slip into the (thankfully) empty elevator. But as soon as I opened the door to the designated room, expecting another meaningless encounter, my worst nightmare stood before me in a suit, his cheeks flushed.As if that weren't enough to destroy my self-esteem, it turned out that this nightmare was none other than Sean Edwards, the brother of
[AVA]“Don’t you think we’re moving too fast?” I deadpanned, giving a slight eye roll as Sean rushed to open the car door for me.It was only yesterday when I saved his ass from his asshole friends, secretly hoping we wouldn't run into each other anytime soon. We made a deal to keep each other's secrets, a win-win situation. But now, the first thing I see from my tiny room's window is his flashy car pulling up near my awful apartment.I had no clue what he was up to or trying to prove, but I hurried downstairs as fast as I could before my parents or nosy neighbors caught sight of him. I needed to find out what the heck was going on. I was still in my pajamas, wearing a too-small t-shirt that barely contained my assets. But I couldn't care less because Sean showing up at the wrong time in the wrong place put my entire future at risk.If our family business hadn't gone bankrupt and we were still living in our fancy f
[AVA]After Brian left, my parents couldn't stop praising him, but in very different ways. Dad's compliments were more understated and respectful, while mom seemed to have some questionable ideas about using him to get more money so we could survive the upcoming tough times.Whenever they mentioned Brian, it felt like they were on the verge of discovering my secret. During the extended period he stayed with us, which was much longer than his initial visit, my stomach was in knots, wondering if his offer to help me financially was a way of acknowledging what I had done and trying to rescue me from having to resort to sleeping with strangers.Tired of their repetitive conversations and tired of torturing myself with endless speculation, I swiftly left the dinner table and collapsed onto my bed, burying my face in the pillow. I let out a groan, completely exhausted after a difficult day, knowing that I still had to discuss my new relationship statu