Chapter One: (Ava's POV )I bit back a scream as one of my hands flew to cover my open mouth, while the other clutched the phone tightly. "This has to be a dream! This can't be true!" I muttered under my breath. My heart pounded against my chest as my eyes remained glued to the picture boldly displayed on my phone screen. It was a nude video of my fiancé, Gregory, in bed with two women. He was drilling into one of them while the other fondled herself. All of them were stark naked, and they seemed too engrossed in their activities to notice the camera behind them. A thought struck me. Maybe they knew. Maybe they knew they were being recorded. I whipped my head to the side, struggling to stop myself from throwing up. I edged backward and slumped onto the couch behind me. I was just about to leave the house to pick Gregory up from the airport. He was returning from a two-week work trip, and today was supposed to be special—it was our four-year anniversary. My eyes fille
Chapter 2: (Ava's POV)Last night, I packed my bags and left Gregory's apartment. With no place to stay, I had to spend the night at a local hotel. The following morning, I cleared my account and booked a flight back to Florida to meet my elder sister, Adrianna. She was the only living family I had, and at this moment, I needed her the most. After bawling my eyes out over the only man I had ever loved with every fiber of my being, I knew I had no choice but to put as much distance between us as possible. I felt empty. So empty as I stared out of the airplane window. My flight was expected to land in less than twenty minutes, and I was nervous. The last time I saw my sister was three years ago, and we hadn’t made any effort to see each other since. Guilt choked me, making it hard to breathe. I felt ashamed. For three years, I had chosen Gregory over my sister, prioritizing him and our relationship above everything else. My phone screen lit up with a text message. It was from
CHAPTER 3: (Ava's POV)7 a.m.It had been barely 24 hours since the conversation I’d had with Damon on our way from the airport, yet I couldn’t stop thinking about him.Shit.Why was I even thinking about him? Sure, I couldn’t deny how strikingly attractive he was, but I knew he was completely off-limits.I blinked, trying to piece together how the previous day had ended. When I arrived at the apartment Damon shared with Adrianna, she wasn’t home yet. Damon had led me to a large, spacious room at the far end of a hallway.“This room is yours for as long as you want to stay with us. I can’t wait to explore with you,” he’d said with a wink before leaving.That was the last I’d seen of him. I’d locked myself in the room, taken a hot shower, and collapsed onto the bed.Still, I hadn’t been able to sleep. Instead, I lay there, replaying Damon’s words in the car over and over.I pushed myself up from the bed and wandered over to the window. My stomach rumbled as I let out a yawn. I was hun
CHAPTER 4: I NEED YOU.AVA’S POVIt had been days—maybe weeks—since that moment in the living room with Damon. Since the kiss. Since my mind had been flooded with confusing thoughts. What the hell was wrong with me? I had to tell Adriana, I reasoned. I just had to tell her what her husband had been up to behind her back. Before I could change my mind, I went upstairs and walked quietly down the hallway, making my way to Adrianna's room.The door to her room was slightly ajar, and as I stood at the threshold, I hesitated. Should I knock? Go in? My hand hovered near the doorknob, but I didn’t move.Then, I heard it. Adrianna was speaking in a low, soft voice. It was obvious she was on a call. I was about to turn around when I caught her words."Do you remember what you did to me the last time? You were so rough. I loved it." She said. I stiffened, pressing my ear closer to the door, unsure of what I had just heard. There was a softness to her tone, something I hadn’t expected. “Yeah, I
CHAPTER 5: [AVA’S POV]I stared at him in complete disbelief as my body went stiff with shock, as his words sank in. Damon had to be out of his damn mind to say such a thing to me!Mess around? Did he really just say that?The air in the room felt suddenly suffocating. My skin prickled, my stomach twisting into tight knots. I had expected Damon to say something heavy when he started speaking, but not this. Not something so... disgusting.I forced out a laugh, "You’re joking."Damon exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck like this was just some difficult conversation—not the outrageous proposal it was. "I need you, Ava. Just for a few months. No strings, no pressure. You’d be doing me a favor.""A favor?" My laugh was bitter. "You want me to sleep with you while you're married to my sister? You think I would do that?""I’m serious," he said, his voice low. "It's not even much of a big deal, Ava."My nails dug into my palms as I clenched my fists. "You want me," I repeated my words slowl
(Ava’s POV)A buzzing sound pulled me out of my sleep. Eyes still closed, I reached for my phone on the bedside table. With a small yawn, I slowly opened my eyes.Adrianna.It was only a few minutes past five. Why was she calling? Had something happened? Did she know I overheard her conversation before she left?My heart pounded as I pressed the phone to my ear."Hello?""Ava! Don’t tell me you’re still in bed," she said, her voice bright with excitement. "I’m so happy for you! You finally got called for an interview. I really hope things go well. You have all my support!"Relief washed over me. She wasn’t calling about the phone conversation. But wait—how did she know about the interview? I never told her... did I?"How did you know?" My voice came out weak, laced with confusion."Have you forgotten? You texted me last night," she said."Oh… right. Sorry about that," I chuckled awkwardly.How could I forget? I really needed to pull myself together."I’ll ask Damon to drive you there s
(Ava’s POV)My phone kept buzzing, and my hands trembled along with it. That bastard wouldn’t stop calling. I stared at the screen, resisting the urge to scream and slam the phone against the dashboard.Gregory had the audacity to call me after everything he had done? He had the nerve to dial my number with those sinful, cheating hands? He definitely needed to have his crazy head checked at a psychiatrist hospital, because this was a sure sign of mental illness. My heart pounded against my chest as I tightened my grip on my phone. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Gregory didn’t deserve my tears.I was sure Damon had noticed the repeated calls, but he remained silent. A part of me wanted to explain why I hadn’t changed the contact name from “My Love”—just so he wouldn’t misunderstand and assume I still had feelings for Gregory.But then... I braced myself. Damon was nothing to me. He was just my sister’s husband. I didn’t owe him an explanation.Gregory didn’
(Damon's POV)I drove out of the parking lot with only one thought consuming me—Ava.How the hell did I end up like this? Completely drawn to the one woman I should never want? No matter how much I tried to fight it, the pull was relentless. Even when I told myself to stay away, the way her eyes held me captive kept dragging me back in.Maybe she felt it too. Maybe she didn’t.My grip tightened on the steering wheel as I replayed our argument, the way she’d glared at me with fire in her eyes as if she wanted to tear me apart. My chest clenched at the memory, but instead of anger, all I felt was hunger.I should be mad. Shouldn’t I? But I wasn’t.Ava had done something to me. That fire in her eyes only made me crave her more. It made me want to touch her, to feel her, to pull her into my arms and claim her. I had seen her angry, and now my body wouldn't stop imagining what she’d look like if I made her fall apart beneath me in pleasure.I exhaled sharply, shaking my head as I pulled int
Chapter 38: The line we shouldn't crossAva PovWalter drove me to work this morning, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think his life depended on it. The way his hands gripped the steering wheel, how he slowed at every bump in the road, even the way he stole glances at me from time to time—it was like he was guarding something precious. Or someone.And the worst part? I couldn’t stop smiling.It was embarrassing, honestly. I’d spent most of last night acting like I didn’t care, keeping him at arm’s length with that cold, distant attitude I’d gotten so good at. But now… now I was sitting beside him like some schoolgirl with a crush, smiling at him like he’d hung the stars just for me.I didn’t recognize myself.And I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.By the time we pulled up in front of the office building, my cheeks already hurt from smiling too much. Walter shifted the car into park but didn’t move to open his door. Instead, he leaned back in his seat like he wasn’t ready
Chapter 37: Wrapped in his armsAva’s POVThe feeling of Walter's lips on mine was tender. Gentle. His hands cupped my face so carefully, it almost made me want to cry. There was no rush. No hunger. Just… warmth. Pure affection. I hadn’t felt that in so long, it almost scared me.For the first time in forever, kissing a man didn't make me feel like I was drowning. There wasn’t that desperate need to fill an empty space, or the reckless pull toward something I knew I’d regret. No guilt clawed at my chest. There was no bitter taste of wrongness on my tongue.It wasn’t a kiss that would lead to another mistake. It wasn’t something I’d hate myself for tomorrow.It was just a kiss. Simple. Honest.And God, it felt good.Our lips moved slowly, and when his fingers brushed my cheek, I sighed into his mouth. The world around us seemed to fade out, like a movie with the volume turned low. Nothing existed at that moment but him. His warmth. His scent. The faint taste of mint on his lips.I didn
Chapter 36: Lost and found. (Ava’s POV)I sat there, staring at nothing, my mind drowning in memories I didn’t want to relive. I thought about everything—how much I had loved Gregory, how deeply he had broken me, and how I had stupidly believed we were meant to get married. I had actually pictured us growing old together, waiting for the day he’d walk me down the aisle with tears in his eyes. But what did I get instead? Betrayal. Humiliation. Heartbreak. Gregory had shattered me, not just by revealing he was a porn star, but by telling me he never really wanted to propose in the first place. That he had only done it because I was "pressuring him." I still remembered the way he said it—flat, emotionless like it was just another casual confession. No regret. No shame. Just the truth, dropped in front of me like a pile of garbage. At that moment, it was like my entire world collapsed. My love for him disappeared in an instant, and maybe, just maybe, I lost a little bit of myse
Chapter 35 - In the arms of another(Ava's POV)Walter drove us through the quiet streets, his hand loose on the wheel, humming under his breath. Meanwhile, I sat stiffly in the passenger seat, my head turned completely away from him, resting against the cool glass of the window.The silence between us wasn't exactly comfortable, but it was better than the alternative-me glaring at him for bringing me out tonight, when I didn't even want to be here in the first place.I wasn't angry with him, not really. He hadn't done anything wrong. He was sweet, considerate even, and that was the problem. I wasn't sure if I could handle sweet. Not after Damon. Not with Damon still carved into every broken piece of me.The weight of Damon's cold gaze earlier today still burned like a bruise on my skin. And now here I was, pretending to be okay on a date with someone else. It all felt wrong.But Walter, on the other hand, looked like he was about to explode with happiness. His face glowed like a man
Chapter 34: (Damon's POV)I was driving through the empty streets with nothing on my mind but Ava. Her face was all I could see. Her laugh echoed in my ears, sweet and soft—meant for him. Every muscle in my body was tense, my hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles were bone-white.I hated it.God, I hated everything about this.I hated the way he touched her.The way he looked at her—like she was the only thing that mattered.The way he smiled at her, with that smug confidence he wore like a second skin.The way he spoke to her, like he’d known her forever.And the way she smiled back at him, like he deserved it.I hated how fond he was getting of her.But what made me sick was how she was letting him.I clenched my jaw, grinding my teeth as the memory of Walter kissing the back of Ava’s hand played on repeat in my mind like a bad film I couldn’t stop watching. I had warned him. I’d made it perfectly clear Ava was off-limits, but that bastard didn’t care. He ac
Chapter 33: Why did I care?(Ava’s POV)I stepped into my room and locked the door behind me, exhaling sharply as I leaned against it. My mind was a mess, thoughts tangled in knots I couldn’t seem to undo. I needed to clear my head, but before I could even try, my phone rang.For a second, I considered ignoring it, but when I saw it was a group video call from Susan and Bianca, I figured it was exactly what I needed—a distraction. Maybe talking to them would help me shove all this nonsense into the back of my mind.I flopped onto my bed, right next to the unopened box, and answered the call. But before I said anything, I caught sight of my reflection on the screen. Ugh. I took a few extra seconds to adjust my hair and make sure I didn’t look like I’d just been through an existential crisis.Finally, I spoke. “Hey.”“Sup, girl!” Bianca’s voice came through, full of energy.“How’s it going?” Susan chimed in.“We should be asking you that!” Bianca grinned. “You’re the one who got a new j
Chapter 32: Trapped Between LiesAva's POV I sincerely wasn’t ready to talk about how my first day at work went.What was there to say? That I had almost slept with Walter the night before and spent the entire day drowning in embarrassment? Or that Damon was suddenly acting so cold, like I was nothing to him? Or that I had to face Walter at the end of the day, only for the idiot to act like there was something between us? Or—worse—that Damon had actually called Walter my fuck buddy?None of those things were worth sharing, and I would rather die than tell my sister about that kind of shit. So... I decided to shift the conversation in another direction.“Adrianna, I heard you wanted to go on vacation with Damon. What are your plans? Are you going anytime soon?” I asked, forcing a warm smile.Adrianna sighed heavily. The smile on her face faltered almost instantly. She set the knife she was holding down for a brief moment, then picked it back up, as if she needed a second to gather her
Chapter 31 – Stop lying to yourself Ava’s POVI spent the entire day distracted. No matter how hard I tried to focus, my mind kept drifting, and my eyes kept wandering toward the hallway, hoping to catch a glimpse of Damon. But he was nowhere to be seen. It was as if he had disappeared.Had he really left in anger over what he heard Bianca say on the phone? Would he be that impulsive? I regretted even answering her call in the first place. I should have known she’d run her mouth. But what I hadn’t expected was for Damon to be eavesdropping.I let out a frustrated sigh, rubbing my temples. A dull headache had begun to form.Hearing footsteps approach, I immediately lifted my head, my heart skipping a beat. For a second, I hoped it was Damon. I wanted to see his face, to gauge his reaction, to confirm whether he was upset or just being his usual moody self. But instead, it was Mark. He walked past my desk, throwing me a look like I had personally offended him.I frowned. What the hell
Chapter 30: Mine to claim (Damon’s POV)I never thought betrayal could feel like this—sharp, suffocating, and searing through my veins like fire. But here I was, sitting in my office, gripping the edge of my desk so hard my fingers ached. I felt like breaking everything around me after hearing the conversation Ava had with whoever it was. I kept wondering about the call. The other person on the call seemed so happy to know whether or not Ava fucked Walter. Ava had met with Walter. Why him? Of all the men in the world, why did it have to be him? I began to pace my office. I was fast becoming sweaty despite the two air-conditioning units in the office. The conversation I overheard kept replaying in my head, looping like a damn nightmare.Had she slept with him? I wondered again. I wasn’t sure. She hadn’t answered. If she hadn’t seen me, maybe she would have. Maybe she would have admitted to everything right there on the phone, laughing as she told her friend how good he was, how muc