The Betrayal's kiss

Ava's POV I stared at my reflection in the mirror, turning from side to side. The wedding dress hugged my body tightly, maybe too tightly. I frowned, pulling at the fabric."Ava, you look amazing in that dress!" my best friend Sophie said, her eyes wide. "Just look at you!"I looked at myself again, still not happy. "I look fat, don't you think?" I asked, pinching at my sides.Sophie laughed and came closer. She put her hands on my shoulders and turned me to face the mirror again. "Look carefully," she said. "All I see is a very beautiful bride-to-be."Just then, someone walked into the room. I turned and saw it was my stepmom, Grace. My heart sank a little."What are you doing here, Grace?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm.She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I came to see how beautiful my daughter looks," she said."Your stepdaughter," I corrected her quickly.Grace came closer, her eyes moving over the dress. "Look how beautiful these dresses are," she said. "They were

Ethan POV The argument with my father left a bitter taste in my mouth. I stormed out of his office, my hands shaking as I got into my car. I needed to clear my head, and I knew just the place.I drove to the bridge - my secret spot. Well, not so secret. My friends and I had been coming here since we were teenagers, sneaking beers and dreaming about our futures. Now, years later, I was the only one who still came. But I couldn't help it. Something about the smell of the water, the gentle breeze - it calmed me like nothing else could.I parked under the bridge and climbed onto the hood of my car. The metal was cool against my back as I lay there, staring up at the underside of the bridge. I turned up the music in my car, letting it wash over me. For a moment, I could forget about my father's expectations, the pressure of the family business, all of it.Then I heard it. A loud crash, followed by the unmistakable sound of a car hitting water. I sat up so fast I almost slid off the hood.

Ava woke up feeling confused. Her eyes slowly opened, and everything looked blurry. She blinked a few times, trying to make sense of her surroundings. "I'm alive?" she whispered to herself, surprised. She wiggled her toes and fingers, relieved to feel them move. An older man in a white coat stood nearby. He turned to her with a kind smile. "You're awake," he said gently. Ava tried to sit up, but the doctor put a hand on her shoulder. "Take it easy," he said. "Your muscles are weak. You need to rest." The doctor did some quick checks. He shined a light in Ava's eyes, listened to her heart and lungs, and tested her reflexes. He asked her to follow his finger with her eyes and squeeze his hands. "Where am I?" Ava asked, her voice scratchy from not being used. "You're in the hospital," the doctor explained. He stepped back and took out his phone. "She's awake," he said to someone on the other end. Ava's heart started racing. "Please don't call my family!" she begged. She gripped th

Ava stared out the window, watching raindrops race down the glass. She had been living in this house for four months now, and every day felt the same. Wake up, eat, sleep, and watch her favorite TV shows—that was her routine. Ever since Ethan gave her a new phone, her days had been spent scrolling through the internet, mostly stalking Gabe and Sophie’s profiles. It was official—they were dating. They flaunted their relationship online like they were the perfect couple.Each new picture of them together felt like a stab in Ava’s heart. Gabe had never had time to travel with her, yet in just a few weeks, he had flown to several countries with Sophie. He never posted her on his social media either, always claiming, "People will think I’m with you for your dad’s money." Now, it was clear that had been an excuse all along.When she wasn’t torturing herself by looking at their profiles, Ava was checking the reports coming in on her dad’s hotel from his laptop. The numbers were still good, b

The alarm clock's shrill beep pierced through Ava's dreams at 5 AM. She groaned, rolling over to silence it. The boys were already exercising like they did every morning. She slipped on a tight-fitting dress—something she could still move around in—and made her way to the gym. Her nerves buzzed with a mix of excitement and frustration. Today, she had a mission.The house was quiet as Ava tiptoed down the stairs. She knew the boys would be in the gym by now – their daily routine was as predictable as clockwork. Standing outside the gym door, she could hear the clanking of weights and low murmurs of conversation. Her heart raced. Was she really going to do this?"Now or never," Ava whispered, pushing the door open with a bang.The moment she burst through the gym doors, the noise inside the gym stopped abruptly. The boys’ eyes turned to stare at her, a mix of surprise and curiosity on their faces. Ava lifted her chin, trying to project confidence she didn't feel. That was exactly the re