Betrayed

Ava

I didn't realize I had stepped away from the door until my back touched the wall behind me.

Inside the room, Clara laughed.

The sound slid through the small space under the door like it belonged there, light and careless.

“And the poor girl still believes her one night stand with Ethan was a mistake.”

Vicky burst out laughing.

I felt my fingers loosen around the door handle.

“She has no idea I planned everything.”

My hand dropped to my side.

For a moment I simply stared at the door.

The white wood in front of me looked the same as always. Nothing had changed about it.

But the voices behind it had changed everything.

“You really helped me that night,” Clara continued.

“Oh please,” Vicky replied. “Getting Ava drunk wasn't even hard.”

Their laughter filled the room again.

My throat tightened.

I stepped back slowly, careful not to make any noise.

The hallway suddenly felt too narrow.

My palm pressed against the wall beside me as I steadied myself.

Clara loved Ethan.

That was what everyone believed.

That was what I believed.

My fingers moved to my eyes and I wiped quickly before anything could fall.

I straightened my back.

Then I turned away from the door.

Each step down the hallway felt heavier than the last.

When I reached the staircase, I paused for a moment and gripped the railing.

Downstairs I could hear Sandra and my mother talking.

I walked down slowly.

Sandra noticed me first.

“Oh, you're back already?”

My mom turned immediately.

“Ava? I thought you were going to see Clara.”

“I did,” I said.

My voice sounded normal.

At least I hoped it did.

Sandra stood up and stretched.

“That was quick.”

Mom frowned slightly.

“You just got here. Why are you coming down already?”

I adjusted the strap of my bag.

“I need to head back home.”

“Home?” Mom repeated.

“So soon?”

I nodded.

“There are still things I need to sort out at Ethan’s house.”

Mom studied my face carefully.

“Is everything alright?”

For a moment I almost said something.

Almost.

But Clara’s laughter echoed again in my mind.

I forced a small smile.

“Yes, Mom. Everything is fine.”

She looked uncertain but eventually nodded.

“Well… alright then. Just make sure you visit again soon.”

“I will.”

Sandra grabbed her purse from the table.

“I’ll head home too.”

Mom walked us both to the door.

Outside, the afternoon air felt cooler.

Sandra looked at me as we walked toward the cars.

“You’ve been quiet today.”

I opened the car door.

“I’m just tired.”

“That wedding must have drained you,” she said with a laugh.

“Probably.”

She waved before walking toward her own car.

I slid into the back seat.

The driver closed the door.

As the car pulled away from my parents’ house, I leaned my head against the window.

My fingers slowly tightened around my bag.

Clara’s voice echoed in my head again.

She has no idea I planned everything.

My eyes closed briefly.

Ethan's Pov 

I leaned back in my chair as Ji-hoon dropped onto the couch across my office.

Jae-min was standing near the window while Oliver poured himself a drink from the small bar in the corner.

None of them had said anything for a few seconds.

Then Ji-hoon finally spoke.

“You know,” he said slowly, “that whole situation is still strange.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“What situation?”

Jae-min turned from the window.

“Your wedding.”

Oliver chuckled.

“Correction. The reason for the wedding.”

I crossed my arms.

“There’s nothing strange about it.”

Ji-hoon leaned forward.

“So you figured out exactly what happened that night?”

“Yes.”

They all looked at me.

“Ava seduced me.”

Oliver nearly choked on his drink.

“Are you serious?”

I shrugged.

“She ended up in my room, didn’t she?”

Jae-min folded his arms.

“Both of you were drunk.”

“So?”

Ji-hoon tapped his fingers on the table.

“I don’t know, man. Something about that night still doesn’t add up.”

I stared at him.

“Are you suggesting I don’t know what happened in my own room?”

“No,” Ji-hoon said calmly. “I’m saying maybe you didn’t see everything.”

Oliver suddenly snapped his fingers.

“Wait.”

We all turned to him.

“The party was at the Imperial Grand Hotel right?”

“Yes,” I said.

He pointed at me.

“That place has cameras everywhere.”

Jae-min nodded slowly.

“Hallways. Elevators. Lobby.”

Ji-hoon looked at me.

“If you really want to know what happened that night, just check the CCTV footage.”

The room went quiet.

I leaned back in my chair.

Cameras.

The idea sat in my mind for a moment.

Then Oliver spoke again.

“You might find out how Ava got into your room.”

Ji-hoon stood up and grabbed his jacket.

“Or who took her there.”

Jae-min pushed away from the window.

“Well, if you do check it, let us know what you find.”

They left not long after.

The office became quiet again.

I stared at the empty glass on my desk.

Cameras.

My phone was already in my hand before I realized it.

“Go to the Imperial Grand Hotel,” I told my assistant.

“I want the CCTV footage from Cynthia’s birthday party.”

“Yes, sir.”

The call ended.

Hours passed.

Night had already fallen when someone knocked on my office door.

“Come in.”

My assistant stepped inside holding a flash drive.

“Sir,” he said, placing it on my desk, “I have the footage.”

I picked it up slowly.

He left the room.

I insert

ed the drive into my computer.

A video file appeared on the screen.

I clicked it.

The footage began to play.

And I leaned closer to the screen.

The next thing I saw shocked me.