The hours seemed to drag on, each second heavier than the last as Ava sat alone in her room. She could still hear Victor's voice echoing in her head, each word twisting deeper into her heart. What was the truth? What had Noah been hiding? It felt like the entire foundation of their relationship had been built on lies, and now, she was left holding the pieces.
Her phone buzzed on the table, and despite the hesitation that gnawed at her, she picked it up. The message was from Noah:
I'm sorry, Ava. I never meant for any of this to happen. Please let me explain.
She stared at the words, feeling an overwhelming sense of conflict. Part of her wanted to pick up the phone and run to him, to hear his side of the story and let him fix this. But the other part of her… the part that had been hurt, betrayed—was too scared to let him back in. How could she trust him again? How could she trust anything he said when so much of their relationship felt like it was built on a lie?
A knock at the door broke her thoughts. She quickly wiped away the tear threatening to fall and stood up, opening the door to find her childhood friend, Jasper. He stood there with a serious look on his face, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket.
"I thought you might need company," Jasper said softly, his eyes searching her face for any sign of how she was feeling.
Ava sighed, stepping aside to let him in. She appreciated his presence more than she could explain. Jasper had always been the one who had her back, even when the world felt like it was crashing down. He sat down beside her, his expression unreadable as he glanced at her phone.
"You're still in contact with him?" Jasper asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
Ava hesitated before answering, her eyes drifting toward the message from Noah. "I don't know what to think anymore, Jasper. I don't know who I am anymore. I feel like everything has been a lie."
Jasper reached over, taking her hand in his, his grip firm and comforting. "Ava, I can't tell you what to do, but I know that you deserve someone who values you. If Noah is the one for you, then you'll find your way back to each other. But if not… you need to trust yourself enough to walk away."
Her heart clenched at his words. She had always known that Jasper cared about her, but hearing him speak so plainly about Noah and their relationship was unsettling. He was right—she had to trust herself. But she wasn't sure if she was strong enough to make that decision.
Before she could respond, her phone buzzed again. This time, it wasn't Noah. The message was from a new number:
I know what happened with Noah. I have information that could change everything.
Ava's heart skipped a beat as she stared at the message. Who was this? What did they know? And more importantly, why were they reaching out now?
Jasper noticed her pale face and the sudden tension in the room. "Who is that?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.
Ava didn't know how to answer. Her instincts told her to delete the message and move on, but something about it felt too important to ignore. She was already in too deep, tangled in a web of lies, betrayal, and uncertainty. What harm could one more piece of the puzzle do?
"Someone who claims to know everything," Ava replied softly, her mind racing. "And I think I need to find out who they are."
Jasper stood up, his eyes narrowing. "Ava, don't do anything rash. If they know something about Noah, we need to be careful. This could be a trap."
She knew he was right, but the desire for answers was too strong. She had to know the truth, no matter the cost.