Catching up with Miranda turned out to be a smooth transaction and, if I had any doubts about how this hard-luck dinner was about to go, they relented a bit, if not all. As Miranda led us through the foyer, I couldn’t help but take in the grandeur of her home. The walls were adorned with elegant paintings and the floors were made of polished marble that reflected the light from the chandeliers hanging above us. The furniture was all high-end, with plush sofas and armchairs that seemed to invite you to sink into their soft cushions. I noticed a grand piano standing proudly in one corner of the room, and an intricately designed fireplace on the opposite wall. Everything about the place exuded wealth and luxury, and it was hard not to feel overwhelmed by it all. As we entered Miranda’s lavish abode, a sharp pang of nostalgia hit me like a ton of bricks. Despite my best efforts to suppress the feeling and focus on the present moment, the longing in my heart refused to budge. Each time I
I knew I had to keep my composure, no matter what. If I let my guard down, they would see through the charade. I couldn’t risk that, not when so much was at stake. So, I took a deep breath and reminded myself to focus on the task at hand. Sean and I had a performance to put on, and I couldn’t afford to mess it up. Feeling a bit more confident after giving myself a pep talk, I took a deep breath and straightened out my dress and makeup. I nervously shook my hands before finally gathering the courage to step out of the room. As soon as I did, I noticed Sean leaning against the wall across from me, and my heart skipped a beat. The moment he saw me, he grew stiff and peeled his back off the wall. I met him halfway down the hall. “Hey, are you alright?” he inquired, a hint of concern in his voice. I could sense that he was anxious and afraid that I might bail on him. Damn it. I didn’t want to make him feel that way. He was already under a lot of pressure. Summoning up all the courage I
[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. I had a gut feeling that Aaron was intentionally stirring up trouble. I mean, come on
No one at the table bothered to speak up against Coraline's accusations, not even Brian. He just sat there, completely oblivious to the turmoil unfolding before him. Perhaps he, too, believed her false claims. Maybe he saw me as a gold digger like she did. Come to think of it, maybe that's why he was so harsh on me for being late that day. It was his way of reminding me of my place, of showing me that without money, I couldn't expect any leniency from him. "Well, I don't need to prove anything to you, Coraline. But thanks for the reality check. I almost forgot that all you care about these days is someone's bank account. Consider me reminded, although I didn't need it. I'll make sure to keep that in mind." I stood up, pushing my chair back and turning to face Miranda. "Thank you for having me, Mrs. Edwards. It was nice to catch up with you." "Ava," Sean's mom tried to stop me, but I couldn't bear to stay any longer. Sean also rose from his seat, shooting a glare at Aaron and Corali
[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 ordeal to bring me down. But despite m
I remained silent, seeing no point in saying anything. I followed his request, securing the seat belt and letting out a resigned sigh as it clicked into place. Brian wasted no time, pulling the car out of the parking lot, and we were soon back on the road. Awkwardness hung heavy in the air, and my mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts and emotions. I was on edge, fearing that something else would go wrong. The night had already been a disaster, thanks to Coraline and her clueless boyfriend, but even then, with all the attention on me, I wasn't as anxious as I was now. As we drove in silence, I averted my gaze out the window, observing the city, its bustling people, and the vibrant lights. But no matter how hard I tried, tension coursed through my body, my fingers tightly gripping the edge of my dress. And just when I thought and reminded myself for the umpteenth time to calm down, the car came to a stop at a red light, and without even thinking, I found myself glancing back
[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 been on edge ever since I heard about it. I couldn't resist going upstairs to invest
"Did you like them?" Sean blurted out as soon as I pressed the phone to my ear. I rolled my eyes. "Why do you even care?" "Damn!" He cursed. "It's worse than I thought, isn't it?" "You think?" Another eye roll as I found myself sinking into my chair. "You completely abandoned me in the middle of the night." "I'm prepared for the lecture you're about to give me. Let's get it over with." I shook my head. "The dinner was a complete disaster." "Tell me about it." "Your sister was awful." "You did warn me, didn't you?" "And that idiot Aaron? What was he even doing there? It would have been nice to have a heads-up if he was going to be anywhere near us." Sean let out a sigh. "I wish I had known. Apparently, it was supposed to be a surprise." "More like a shocking disaster!" "Just thinking about how Cora managed to get his attention baffles me. That guy is trouble." He was right, but Aaron wasn't my biggest concern of the night. "Do I even need to mention the Reinholds? Why didn
He walks back to the couch, and for the first time, I notice a camera that’s already been set up.My stomach tightens.He grabs the camera stand with one hand and drags it closer to where I am. Adjusting the angle, he makes sure it focuses directly on me. Then he straightens, his gaze locking onto m
[AVA]I might have lost consciousness because the next time I open my eyes, the bright lights make me wince and squeeze them shut again.“Ah…” I whimper, only then realizing my ankle is badly bruised.“You’re awake.”A deep male voice rings in my ears, and I look up—only to find the same staff guy w
[AVA]Once Brian leaves, I sink back onto the couch, my fingers dialing Max’s number again.Maybe if he picks up, I can convince him to drop by on his own, and Brian wouldn’t have to go.But every call goes unanswered. And the more I try to convince myself it’s no big deal—that Max is just being him
I run my fingers through his wet hair. “Because I can’t stop thinking about what happens next. About who’s behind this. About how this doesn’t just affect me but everyone around me.”“You don’t have to figure everything out right this second, Ava.”“I know,” I whisper, but knowing and believing are
[AVA]I finally feel a little better—enough to let Brian freshen up after his long flight.He kisses me on the forehead and promises to join me soon.Maybe he knows that if I’m left alone, my mind will start spiraling again, drowning me in guilt. And once that happens, I won’t be able to focus on an
I unlock the door and pull the door open, only to find his familiar handsome face looking back at me.He’s dressed in a white shirt and blue denim jeans, and I don’t think he could look any better.I know, I know. I probably sound like some horny bitch, but I don’t care. It’s Brian. And being horny
[AVA]After dropping me off at Brian’s penthouse, Aaron insists on staying until Brian returns.But I can clearly see the disinterest on his face—he can’t stand another bored minute with me. So, I do what I know is right.I ask him to leave.Maybe out of formality, he insists once more that he doesn
[AVA]“I’m sure she didn’t mean it, Ava,” Miranda tries to say, but she might as well accept that her daughter will never see me as someone to be trusted.Whatever I’ve done to piss this woman off, one thing is certain—I don’t care anymore. I neither have the time to bother myself with her nonsense
Miranda's fingers tremble as she presses them to her temples. "Stop it, both of you," she whispers.For once, Coraline listens. She clenches her jaw so tightly I swear I can hear her teeth grind, but she doesn't say another word.Aaron, though—he’s still simmering, his shoulders tense, his hands fle