Ava stood in complete disbelief as flashes of Ethan's letters ran through her mind—how he told her to wait for him, how much he loved her. He had confessed that he'd loved her ever since they were little. Now, she wondered what had changed his mind. Why was he with her worst enemy, Mia Blackwood?
Ava and Mia had attended the same schools, and Mia had been a thorn in her side since kindergarten. Ethan knew this. Even before he left for his elite school, the bullying had only intensified, with Mia and her friends calling Ava all sorts of names because of her scar and skin color. Ethan had always been her defender, and now, seeing him with Mia, Ava fought back the tears.
"Hey!" they both said—Ethan and Mia.
Mia clung to Ethan's arm, leaning onto his shoulder, a smug smile spreading across her face as she stared straight into Ava's eyes.
"How are you doing, Ava?" Ethan said, shrugging slightly, causing Mia to move her head off his shoulder. "I… I didn't know you were here."
Ava stood there, silent. A thousand cruel words ran through her mind, but she couldn't bring herself to speak. Behind her, Tracy gently tapped her shoulder, trying to comfort her.
"Well, I'm here," Ava finally said. "Is… is that all you can say?"
"I… I…" Ethan stammered.
Before he could finish, Madam Margaret's voice boomed over the room. "Listen, everyone! This is a special moment. I'm thrilled to announce the engagement of my son, Ethan Harrington, and Mia Blackwood."
Ava felt like a bomb had exploded in her head. She suddenly felt dizzy, her legs buckling as she stared at the man she had waited 12 years for—now wearing an engagement ring on another woman's finger. Her handbag slipped from her hand, and everything felt distant. She could barely hear Tracy's voice calling her name.
"Thank God you didn't fall. Look at me, Ava," Tracy urged. "You're a strong woman. You don't need to cry over that bastard. He doesn't deserve you."
"Ethan…" Ava called out, her voice breaking.
"So, you thought you could have him?" Mia sneered. "How stupid of you—a poor, black, scar-faced girl after a billionaire CEO? What a joke. Bury that dream because it's never going to happen."
Ava's heart ached, but Ethan looked at her, his voice full of pity. "Look, Ava, I'm sorry, okay? Sorry I made you believe I loved you. But… we can't work."
"But I love you!" Ava cried. "I've waited, just like you asked. I swear, I love you."
"Believe me, Ava, it won't work," Ethan said, avoiding her eyes. "You're not my type."
"But you said that didn't matter, ever since we were kids!"
"That was then, Ava. I have a new life now. Back then, I only defended you because you had no one else."
Tracy's voice rang in Ava's ear. "See, I told you."
"And you heard my son loud and clear," Madam Margaret snapped. "Stay far away from him."
Ava stood there, tears streaming down her cheeks. She could see the love in Ethan's eyes, but he had hardened his heart.
"You know what, Ethan?" she whispered.
Slap.
"I hate you. You're a liar and a coward. And as for you, Mia, yes, I'm poor, black, and have a scar on my face, but at least I have dignity. You're nothing but a scumbag."
"Jespa, get this lowlife out of here," Madam Margaret ordered
"So, you thought you could have him?" Mia sneered. "How stupid of you—a poor, black, scar-faced girl after a billionaire CEO? What a joke. Bury that dream because it's never going to happen."
Ava's heart ached, but Ethan looked at her, his voice full of pity. "Look, Ava, I'm sorry, okay? Sorry I made you believe I loved you. But… we can't work."
"But I love you!" Ava cried. "I've waited, just like you asked. I swear, I love you."
"Believe me, Ava, it won't work," Ethan said, avoiding her eyes. "You're not my type."
"But you said that didn't matter, ever since we were kids!"
"That was then, Ava. I have a new life now. Back then, I only defended you because you had no one else."
Tracy's voice rang in Ava's ear. "See, I told you."
"And you heard my son loud and clear," Madam Margaret snapped. "Stay far away from him."
Ava stood there, tears streaming down her cheeks. She could see the love in Ethan's eyes, but he had hardened his heart.
"You know what, Ethan?" she whispered.
Slap.
"I hate you. You're a liar and a coward. And as for you, Mia, yes, I'm poor, black, and have a scar on my face, but at least I have dignity. You're nothing but a scumbag."
"Jespa, get this lowlife out of here," Madam Margaret ordered I will deal with her later
Whispered spread across the hall as Ava and Tracy where dragged out.
"you jerk! Ava shouted
"let go of me! I know my way out, fools! She continued.
Chuckling into the microphone madam Margaret addresses the audience. "My dear friends, family and colleagues please calm down. I apologize for what just happened. This is just an admirer, someone My son, out of kindness, helped. As you all heard, he was kind to her out of pity, as you all heard, he was kind to her out of pity but misunderstood his kindness for love. He never said he wanted to marry her."
" But madam, we heard her say Mr, Ethan asked her to wait for him ," the media press
" That was simple because she asked for my help," Ethan replied
"I told her I'd assist her when I get back ,"
"so Mr, Ethan you're saying you have nothing to do with her? The media continue
" just because we attended the same college doesn't mean anything. Mia and I have been together since primary school our family have been planning our future for a long time now," Ethan clarified
"so when is the wedding? Another interviewer asked
"our families have decided to keep that private for now, thank you," Ethan responded curlty, as he made her way out of the venue. The media swarmed him, shouting his name as he made his way into his car. Once inside he sigh in relief, glaring at Mia as she continued chatting with the reporters.
"track Ava now? He ordered
"sir I will advise you stay away from her now " jespa cautioned
"do what I say " Ethan snapped
"am just concerned about what the media will say if you're cought being around her, and your mom is gonna kill me if she finds out.
"listen, from today, you follow my orders, not my mom's. I'll be the one paying you, so if you dare report my movements to her, you'll have me to deal with".
"yes sir, your wish is my command."
" they're heading towards lamplight club ," jespa informed him.
Ava down another drink at the bar.
"slow down, Ava," Tracy warn. "you know you don't drink. If you keep up, you'll get too drunk."
" that's the point, okay? I want to get drunk!" Ava retorted.
"Another glass!" she shouted, and quickly gulped down her drink, then started on a bottle of beer. She stumbled on her feet, dancing wildly flinging her hair from side to side under Tracy's watchful eye, who, despite being tipsy wasn't far gone .
Suddenly, Ethan stormed into the club, scanning the room until his eyes locked onto tracy.
"where is Ava!" he demanded.
"as if you care," Tracy spat back.
"you've gotten what you wanted, right?"
"look, I don't care what you think. Just tell me where she is," he said furiously.
"There." Tracy pointed towards Ava who was dancing with a man, laughing.
Ethan rushed further and punched the guy, leaving Ava in shock.
"what are you doing here, coward?" Ava slurred.
"you're not supposed to be here "
" you think you can tell me what I am or not?" she laughed.
Without outering another word, Ethan grabbed her by the waist, sending her heart into flutter, though she tried to stay strong. But the alcohol wasn't helping.
"get your hands off me, freak!" she demanded.
"I won't," Ethan growled.
"I said now!" Ava yelled.
"No," he replied, looking deeply into her eyes before leaning in and kissing her passionately. A shiver run down her spine as she felt lost in his arms. She tried to resist, but the urge to kiss him back overwhelmed her.
"let go of me," she insisted, pushing him away.
"I know you want this," he whispered, picking her up and carrying her into a nearby hotel room. Leaving Tracy and jespa in total disbelief.