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
[BRIAN] I constantly remind myself not to meddle, not to stress about what's happening around me, and that it's not my responsibility to fix the mess. But the more I repeat those thoughts in my mind, the stronger my desire becomes to resolve this messed-up situation. The more I feel compelled to get involved, the more I feel the need to protect her. Why? Why do I have such a strong urge to save her before her heart gets shattered? Why does it affect me so deeply? A voice in my head, the most confident one, assures me that it's simply because I've known her for such a long time that it has become an instinct, especially considering she's the exact age my daughter would have been if she were still alive. Every time I think about Valarie, an invisible knife pierces my chest. A sharp pain wells up in my heart, and I can't freaking breathe for a whole damn second. I can't accept how unfair everything is, how none of this was supposed to happen. If only Val hadn't been so stubborn...
I divert my gaze from the desk and look at Ava. She's dressed in a pristine white office blouse that fits her perfectly. Her dark gray skirt is snug but modest enough not to send any inappropriate signals. I tighten my grip on the pen in my hand, trying to maintain focus. Because the more I think about her, the more I recall the immense pleasure I experienced while picturing her on her knees, wearing that alluring little black dress, satisfying me with her soft lips wrapped around my erection. Damn it. Not again. I need to get her out of my mind before I do something foolish. Ava keeps her eyes lowered, as if she believes I've summoned her to reprimand her for something she feels responsible for. I wonder if she already knows the reason for being here. No, I don't believe she does. If my opinion held any significance to her, she wouldn't have completely disregarded it last night. She would have given it some consideration, as I intended, and inquired about the reasons behind my
[AVA] As I close the door of the restroom and lean against it, panic begins to consume me. What the hell just happened? Did he really... No. It can't be true. It must have all been in my imagination. But what other explanation could there be? He was standing too close—close enough that I could feel his breath on my face, taste the scent of his strong cologne. His fingers beneath my chin left a burning sensation, and his gaze...it felt like he was piercing into my soul. I take a deep breath, attempting to steady my racing heart, and approach the sink to splash water on my face. I need to rid my mind of this absurd notion. Whatever I felt when he pinned me against the door, it can't be what my mind is telling me. It must have been a misunderstanding. It has to be. There's no way he intended any of that to happen. And the way he so rudely threw me out of his office is clear evidence of that. But I'm burning up right now. Not just my face, but my entire body feels like it's on fir
"Sean! Focus!" "Oh, right. Well, they told me that if I didn't break up with you, one of us would get hurt." "Wait..." I pause, trying to make sense of the illogical threat. "Sean, are you sure this isn't just another prank by your immature friends? They seem like the type to play mean-spirited jokes." It's true. Based on my personal experience, I can confirm that Sean's friends are seriously messed up. I still remember when they convinced him to prove his sexuality to them, and we had no choice but to stage a fake sexual encounter. "You're right," Sean agrees, although not entirely convinced. "But I don't think it was them this time. The caller sounded nothing like any of them. Even if they used voice modification, I don't think they could change the tone and accent, can they?" "I don't know, Sean. I'm really sorry, but I don't have the answer." If this had happened before I lost all my friends, I might have known a few people who could provide helpful tips on the latest technolo
[AVA] "Why the sudden change of heart?" Brian inquired, his attention still focused on the papers before him as he quickly skimmed through them. I glanced at Sharon, who was glaring at me with obvious annoyance. She had been shooting me those death stares ever since Brian prioritized my unexpected request to speak with him, causing him to cancel his upcoming meeting. It seemed like Sharon took it personally. Did she consider herself Brian's personal babysitter? He was a capable adult who could make his own decisions without someone constantly hovering over him. There was no need for her to make him feel guilty or take it as a personal offense. Sharon was definitely crossing a line. But perhaps I was just overthinking things. It wouldn't be the first time. Ever since Sean told me about the threats he received to break up with me, I had been feeling more than just annoyance. I let out a sigh, my gaze dropping to the table as I absently brushed my arm. "I should have listened to yo
[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
[AVA]After Mom and Dad leave for the safe place Aaron arranged for them, we ride back to the hospital.I’m still a little shaken up by the threat to my parents, but knowing they’re safe for now, I allow myself to feel slightly better.Once we arrive, the nurses inform us that Sean is awake.My hear
The call disconnects, and it takes me another fifteen minutes to pull myself together.Knowing that he cares so much makes me want to cry and dance at the same time. Honest to God, I have no idea how I ended up with this man in my life. Do I even deserve him?Probably not. But that’s not going to st