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The moment Lily stepped into the living room, the temperature seemed to drop. Ava's pulse quickened, her breath catching in her throat. Ethan stood frozen, a look of sheer disbelief painted across his face as his past—his hidden truth—now stood before them, smirking like she had all the power in the world.
Ava's mind was spinning. The woman she had considered her closest friend, the one she had trusted, was now standing there like an intruder, the silence between them thick with accusation.
Lily didn't even glance at Ethan, her eyes fixed solely on Ava. "So, you've found out, haven't you?" she said, her voice smooth and mocking, as though she had anticipated this moment.
Ava's voice trembled with barely contained fury. "You've been lying to me this entire time, Lily. How long were you planning on keeping this from me? The fact that you and Ethan—" She cut herself off, too angry to finish the sentence.
Lily let out a small laugh, as if she found the whole situation amusing. "I didn't lie to you, Ava. I simply didn't tell you the full truth. But now, you're finally starting to see things for what they are."
Ava's mind reeled with disbelief. "What things, exactly? What is all this about? The business arrangement? The photographs?" Her voice cracked as she pointed to the images still scattered across the coffee table.
Lily's smile never faltered, though there was a hint of malice in her eyes. "You should be thanking me, Ava. Without me, none of this would have ever happened. Ethan would still be stuck in that cold, heartless world of his, running his empire with no soul."
Ethan's face darkened, his jaw tightening. "Enough, Lily," he growled. "I've told you before, this ends now. You need to leave. You're not welcome here anymore."
But Lily only laughed again, the sound echoing in the spacious room. She stepped closer to Ava, her gaze calculating. "Don't listen to him, Ava. He's lying to you. I know how this looks, but the truth is, Ethan has never been honest with you. He's always had secrets, secrets that you're only starting to uncover now."
Ava's head spun. The betrayal cut deeper than she could have ever imagined. Not only had Lily been playing a dangerous game, but she was also trying to manipulate Ava into turning against Ethan.
Ethan took a step forward, his voice icy. "Lily, leave now. Before this gets any worse."
But Lily ignored him, her eyes locked on Ava. "You think he loves you? You think he's changed? You think this—" She gestured between them, a malicious glint in her eyes, "—is all real? Wake up, Ava. He's playing you. He always has been."
Ava's chest tightened, her heart hammering in her ears. Every word Lily spoke felt like a stab to her core. She didn't know who to trust anymore. Could Ethan really have been lying to her all this time? Or was Lily just playing her—like she always had?
Her breath caught in her throat as Lily continued, "You know, I didn't expect this from you. But I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. You've always been too trusting, too naïve." She moved even closer to Ava, her voice dropping to a whisper. "But I'll give you one last piece of advice: Ethan doesn't care about you. He never did."
Ava shook her head, her mind a whirlwind of confusion and anger. "Stop," she whispered. "I don't believe you."
Lily's eyes gleamed, and she took another step closer, her voice now a venomous hiss. "You should, Ava. You should believe me. Because the moment I'm out of the picture, it's you who will be left alone. You'll be the one left with nothing."
Ava stood frozen, the weight of Lily's words pressing down on her chest. She wanted to scream, to tell Lily to leave, but her mind was racing. Ethan's secrets were starting to feel like a web she could no longer escape from. And Lily wasn't making this any easier.
Before Ava could respond, Ethan moved quickly, his voice cold and commanding. "Leave, Lily. Now. This is your final warning."
For a moment, there was silence. Ava's heart was pounding in her chest, her body tense as she waited for Lily's next move. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Lily gave one last, sharp smile, a flash of something dark behind her eyes.
"I'll be back, Ava," she said softly, her voice filled with a promise. "You can't keep running from the truth forever."
With that, she turned and left, the door closing behind her with a soft click that echoed in the room.
Ava stood there, her legs weak, her body trembling. She couldn't shake the feeling that Lily's words had left a deep scar, one that would never fully heal.
Ethan stepped toward her, but she recoiled slightly, her hand raised to stop him. "Don't," she whispered, her voice shaky. "I need some space."
Ethan paused, confusion flickering in his eyes, but he didn't push. Instead, he nodded slowly. "Ava... whatever she told you, it's not true. You have to believe me."
But Ava couldn't shake the questions swirling in her mind. *Had Ethan been lying to her all along?* She wanted to trust him, but now everything felt uncertain.
"Ethan... you don't understand," she said softly. "I don't know what to believe anymore. I thought I knew you, but now I... I don't know."
Ethan's face softened, his expression full of concern. He reached for her hand, but she pulled away, her breath catching in her throat.
"I'll be fine," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just... need some time to think."
***
Later that night, as Ava sat in her bedroom, her mind kept replaying the conversation with Lily. No matter how hard she tried to push the thoughts away, the nagging suspicion lingered. Ethan had told her so many times that he had cut ties with Lily, but what if that wasn't true? What if there was more to their relationship than he had ever admitted?
Suddenly, her phone buzzed, cutting through the silence of the room. The screen lit up with a text message from an unknown number.
*"You don't know the full story, Ava. Ethan has been hiding things from you. But I know the truth. If you want to understand what's really going on, meet me at the old warehouse at midnight. Bring no one. – An Ally."*
A chill ran down Ava's spine. Who was this? And what truth were they talking about?
Her mind raced with the possibilities. Was this some kind of trap? Or was this the break she had been waiting for? Either way, it seemed like the only way to get answers.
Ava glanced over at Ethan, who had already retreated to the other room. The tension between them was palpable, but this could be the chance she needed to finally uncover the truth. She had to go.
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