All Chapters of The Betrayal's kiss : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Ava walked down the stairs, her black gown fitting her like a glove. The fabric clung to her curves in all the right places, making it seem as though the dress had been custom-made just for her. Ethan stood at the bottom of the staircase, his eyes glued to her. He didn’t try to hide it, either. His gaze moved over her body slowly, lingering on each curve as though he were trying to memorize every inch of her. Ava could feel the heat of his stare, and for a moment, it was as if they were the only two people in the world.Noah stepped out of his room at that moment and gasped dramatically, his mouth falling open. "Is that really you, cupcake?" he exclaimed, rushing toward her. "Can I take you to the gala myself?" he teased, offering his arm to help her down the last step.Ava smiled at him, but her eyes quickly darted back to Ethan. He hadn’t moved. He just kept looking at her, his expression unreadable but intense. There was something about his gaze that made her feel like she was the

Ava lay on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. The image of Ethan and Victoria together from the night before was burned into her mind. She had seen them—standing close, their bodies pressed together as they spoke in hushed tones. Victoria’s hand had been wrapped around his neck, Ava was certain they were making out when she saw them. caught her eyes from across the room. Her chest tightened at the memory, and a rush of jealousy she didn’t want to admit to herself surged through her. "Does Ethan still like her?" Ava wondered, her chest tightening at the thought. "Not that it's any of my business," she muttered aloud with a forced laugh, trying to push the unsettling feelings away. She couldn’t help it; Ethan had always been there for her—steady, reliable, always showing up when she least expected him but most needed him. So why did it hurt seeing him with Victoria? Ava sat up, running her hands through her hair. She stood and moved over to the window, pulling the curtai

Sophie leaned in close, whispering into Ava's ear. "I heard you and my husband are close at the office. Let’s keep it professional, okay?" She smiled sweetly, but her words felt sharp. Sophie then placed her hand on Ava’s shoulder, pretending to fix a wrinkle on her blouse.Ava barely heard her. She was gripping the yacht’s railing so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her fear of the water was overpowering her ability to respond, and Sophie's words barely registered.Just as Sophie stepped back, Ava thought she might have a chance to move away, but Sophie’s hand shot out, shoving her hard. Ava instinctively grabbed Sophie’s arm as she tumbled, and both of them fell into the water.Screams filled the air as the models Sophie brought along started shouting. The men came running from inside the yacht. Ethan looked in the direction of the noise and saw Ava struggling in the water, while Sophie was already swimming back toward the yacht.Without thinking, Ethan jumped into the water. He s

They stood there in silence, Ethan holding Ava close as her sobs finally slowed. He didn’t say anything, just gently stroked her back while she cried. When her tears subsided, Ava sniffled and pulled back slightly, wiping her face with the back of her hand, embarrassed.“I never thought Sophie would… do something like that. We were friends,” Ava said, her voice shaky, still trying to make sense of everything.“Shh… it’s okay,” Ethan whispered, his voice calm and reassuring. “I’m here now.” His hand rested on her shoulder.Ava nodded, her breathing still uneven, but she was calming down. Her eyes were red from crying, and she felt embarrassed for breaking down in front of him. She glanced up at Ethan, unsure of what to say next.“Thanks,” she whispered, barely loud enough to be heard. She quickly bend her head, hoping to hide her flushed cheeks.“It’s nothing, princess,” Ethan said with a soft smile, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear. His teas

Ethan’s mother walked in, her smile lighting up the room. “Ethan!” she exclaimed, rushing toward him with open arms. “I’ve missed you so much, baby!” She placed a quick peck on his lips, her affection warm and open.Ethan’s face flushed slightly as he shifted awkwardly. “Mom…” he muttered, clearly embarrassed.“Oh, hush, Ethan,” she waved off his protests. Then her eyes lit up as she turned toward Alex. “Alex! I didn’t even know you were back in town! Look at you, still as handsome as ever.”But when her gaze shifted to Ava, she paused, her smile widening even more. “And is that… Ava?”“No!” Both Ethan and Ava shouted at once, a bit too loudly.Ethan quickly composed himself, clearing his throat. “I mean… no, Mom. This is Emily, my business partner.”Ethan’s mother raised an eyebrow, looking between the two of them suspiciously. “Emily, huh?” She glanced at Ava again, noticing the resemblance. “Why does she look so much like Ava?”Ava quickly jumped in, nodding. “I’m Ava’s cousin. W