Chapter 27: No fuckin' way!!(Ava's POV)I woke up to a splitting headache.Damn.I groaned, pressing my fingers against my temples, trying to ease the pounding pain. My head felt like it had been run over by a truck. I slowly forced my heavy eyelids open, squinting against the dim morning light filtering through an unfamiliar set of curtains.Wait.I blinked.Where the hell am I?My breath hitched as I took in the unfamiliar ceiling above me. The intricate design was nothing like the one in my room at Bianca’s place or Adrianna’s house. Panic shot through me, sending a shiver down my spine. My pulse quickened.How the fuck did I end up here?I pushed myself up on the bed, my body aching from what I assumed was a long night. My heart pounded wildly against my ribs as I slowly lifted the blanket covering me—only to find my bare skin underneath.My breath caught in my throat.I was naked. Completely naked.A choked gasp escaped my lips as I clutched the sheets against my body. My mind r
Chapter 28: The Morning After Regret(Ava's POV)My head throbbed. I felt embarrassed, humiliated and reduced to nothing."Congratulations, Ava. You’ve successfully made a fool out of yourself. Anytime Walter sees you, he’ll always remember you as the drunk woman who stripped herself naked and desperately begged him for sex." A small voice mocked in my head. The thought made my stomach churn. I squeezed my eyes shut, praying that when I opened them, I’d wake up in my bed and realize it had all been a bad dream. But when I peeked, reality hit me like a freight train. I was still here. And worse, Walter was staring at me.My lips curled in a mix of disgust and frustration. I bet he could draw my naked body with his eyes closed at this point.Oh, fuck!What if he told Damon? Damon would mock me for life, saying I refused to sleep with him but had no problem throwing myself at his best friend.A groan bubbled in my throat, but I swallowed it down. I shouldn't have come to that damn party
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
Chapter 28: The Morning After Regret(Ava's POV)My head throbbed. I felt embarrassed, humiliated and reduced to nothing."Congratulations, Ava. You’ve successfully made a fool out of yourself. Anytime Walter sees you, he’ll always remember you as the drunk woman who stripped herself naked and desperately begged him for sex." A small voice mocked in my head. The thought made my stomach churn. I squeezed my eyes shut, praying that when I opened them, I’d wake up in my bed and realize it had all been a bad dream. But when I peeked, reality hit me like a freight train. I was still here. And worse, Walter was staring at me.My lips curled in a mix of disgust and frustration. I bet he could draw my naked body with his eyes closed at this point.Oh, fuck!What if he told Damon? Damon would mock me for life, saying I refused to sleep with him but had no problem throwing myself at his best friend.A groan bubbled in my throat, but I swallowed it down. I shouldn't have come to that damn party
Chapter 27: No fuckin' way!!(Ava's POV)I woke up to a splitting headache.Damn.I groaned, pressing my fingers against my temples, trying to ease the pounding pain. My head felt like it had been run over by a truck. I slowly forced my heavy eyelids open, squinting against the dim morning light filtering through an unfamiliar set of curtains.Wait.I blinked.Where the hell am I?My breath hitched as I took in the unfamiliar ceiling above me. The intricate design was nothing like the one in my room at Bianca’s place or Adrianna’s house. Panic shot through me, sending a shiver down my spine. My pulse quickened.How the fuck did I end up here?I pushed myself up on the bed, my body aching from what I assumed was a long night. My heart pounded wildly against my ribs as I slowly lifted the blanket covering me—only to find my bare skin underneath.My breath caught in my throat.I was naked. Completely naked.A choked gasp escaped my lips as I clutched the sheets against my body. My mind r
Chapter 26: How did I end up here?(Ava's POV)How do you know you've hit rock bottom? Is it when you're drowning yourself in alcohol to numb the pain? When you're making reckless choices just to prove a point to someone who probably doesn't even care? Or is it when you look in the mirror and don’t recognize yourself anymore?I wasn't sure.But as I stood there, surrounded by a world I didn't belong to, I knew I was close. I was still at the party. Somehow, the party had lost its slow, elegant charm and was growing wild by the minute. Now, it felt like I had stepped onto the set of an R-rated film.The warm white lights had been replaced with flashing red and blue, casting an eerie glow over the large living room. Women pressed their bodies against men who didn’t even try to hide their erections.In the corners, people kissed feverishly, hands wandering without restraint. Some even placed women on tables, allowing their fingers to trace over exposed skin as if they were in a private r
Chapter 25: What next? (Ava’s POV)I sat across the table, my arms folded as Bianca stared me down from the other side. She had her legs crossed, hands resting on her lap, her sharp gaze slicing through me like a mother who just found her daughter sneaking out of a man's house.I shifted uncomfortably, sighing before finally breaking the silence. "Can you stop looking at me like that?"Her stare didn’t waver. If anything, it intensified."Why wouldn't I, Ava?" she shot back. "You just got up and left your sister's house without a word and came straight here! What the hell is going on?"She wasn't wrong. I had left Damon and Adrianna’s house abruptly. I hadn’t given them a heads-up, no message, no call—nothing. Just packed a bag and walked out.I knew how crazy it looked. But staying there was unbearable. Every second, my mind replayed the kiss—the way Damon’s lips molded against mine, the heat that ignited between us, the way I had almost lost myself completely.I needed to get out b
Chapter 24: Unspoken Desires(Damon's POV)I was still enjoying the warmth of my bed and the comfort of sleep until I felt someone shaking the hell out of me. My eyes were heavy... I was sincerely hoping to sleep a little longer. I tried opening them, only to meet Adrianna's troubled face. Her breath was heavy, and her eyes held a depth of emotions while I tried to get a hold of the situation."Ava... Damon! Ava... Ava is missing," Adrianna screamed.My once-heavy eyes flung open, and I immediately sat up.How could Ava be missing?This time, I did the shaking. I held her shoulders and looked into her eyes."What do you mean Ava is missing?" I asked, letting go of her as I rushed out of bed."Explain to me, Adrianna. What happened?" I asked, my voice raised.My heart was beating faster than a crazy drum. It felt like my whole world was about to come crashing down."I was... I planned to take her shopping very early this morning, so I got up, got dressed, and decided to go to her to te
Chapter 23: Temptation(Damon's POV)It took me a few minutes before the reality of what was happening hit me with full force.This wasn't a dream!I wasn't imagining this. I was actually sharing a kiss with Ava, who clearly wanted this as much as I did. Her tongue danced with ease past my lips, swirling around in my mouth like it was the most natural thing to do.My breath caught, and I suddenly knew that something was not right. Why was Ava kissing me back? Why didn't she try to push me away or ask me to leave? Or call me a pervert, as usual? Did she want me too?Without thinking, I pulled away from her lips as my confusion mounted. I needed to be sure that I wasn't kissing someone else while thinking it was Ava.My eyes ran over her face."I can't believe this," I muttered, taking a deep, steadying breath. I reached out to cup her oval face in my large palms.She was breathing heavily, and her eyelashes batted at me.A faint red blush crept up her cheeks as her lips curved into a s
Chapter 22: Midnight Sins(Ava's POV)I rubbed my eyes, breathing heavily and sighing each time my fingers landed on my laptop keyboard. My eyelids were so heavy it felt like my head might fall off my neck. My determination to finish the design was the only thing keeping my eyes open.If not, I was sure I would have been long gone into dreamland. I sincerely thought being an intern for a brand and working online would be as light as a feather… little did I know I’d have to stay up late, trying to fix a design."You have to finish this, Ava. You can definitely do it," I whispered to myself, being my own support system.I closed my eyes for a moment, but when I opened them, trying to get back to work, my phone vibrated. I finally decided to check who it was… only to find a message from Damon. It was simple."Hey, Ava. I wonder if you’re okay. We haven’t really had time to talk lately, and I’ve been worried about how you’re doing. If you wouldn’t mind, please meet me in the kitchen at 1:
Chapter 21 : When things make no sense(Damon's POV) I sat on the bed, my back resting against the wall, thinking about how close to miserable I had become. Every single thing about me was a lie, and even in my own house, I felt pressured. I felt choked. Somehow, I felt like I was being tied down and forced to do everything I didn’t want to. As much as I tried to get rid of the way I felt, nothing seemed capable of putting me at ease. Not even liquor. I couldn’t remember the last time I felt at peace, nor could I recall the last time I slept soundly without thinking about what I had become. The life I was living wasn’t what I had bargained for or hoped for. “When did you turn into this, Damon?” I asked myself, comparing the life I had lived before to the life I was living now. My heart soured as I remembered how I had to fake being attracted to Adrianna earlier. It had felt so hard to kiss her. The guilt sank me deeper into the bed as I recalled forcing myself to make
Chapter 20: The Unseen Truth (Ava's POV)“You sincerely do not have to say anything, Adrianna,” I said, trying hard to keep the smile on my face.“Ava, listen... I just—” Adrianna stammered.“I mean it, Adrianna. You don't have to say anything... I totally understand,” I added, still standing at the door.“Can... can I at least come in?” Adrianna asked, and I nodded, smiling awkwardly as I stepped aside for her to walk in.Adrianna entered, attempting to fix her hair. “Here,” she said, finally drawing her hands from behind her. I couldn't tell what it was; the wrapping concealed it.“What's this?” I asked, noting her persistent smile.“I bought it for you on my way back. I know it's small, but at least have it,” Adrianna said, placing it in my hands before I could refuse.“Small? Even if you never did anything else for me, I would have no reason to complain. I live under your roof and eat from your kitchen. What more could I possibly ask for?” I asked, glancing into her eyes as she g