From Wedding Bells to Shattered Dreams

e y

me to New York. She clutched the small, elegantly wrapped box in her hand, the custom-made cufflinks for Liam Hayes nestled inside, a symb

for their celebratory dinner, a new, impossibly chic boutique hotel dow

e else bea

ssessively around the waist of a woman. It wasn't just any woman. It was Chloe, his personal assis

head back in a silent, delighted laugh. He then swiped a key card and led Chloe through the hotel's

ar in Ava's ears. The gift box in h

r phone buzze

ething huge has come up. I' m deep in negotiations with a crucial cl

ent. In a lux

ght, but she managed

. I understand. Wo

make it up to you, I promise.

zzed again. This time, it was a text from an unknown number, but she reco

e wearing one of Liam' s dress shirts, lounging on a bed that looked suspiciously like the one in their shared apartment. The la

tos was a singl

ve got my eyes on your fiancé, no nee

d devotion felt like a stupid joke. Ava didn' t cry. She didn' t screa

r answered on

eep of the Hayes family. What are you threatening me with

" Ava said, her voice

he other end of the li

ating on me.

r liked Liam. "I knew that boy was no good. Who do you

s, the true heir to the Hayes family fortune, a man known for his maturity

ghter. Bold. I' ll make the call. You just come home to the est

, Gran

er family estate. But a stubborn, foolish part of he

found Ava sitting on the couch, surrounded by packed boxes. He

ient meeting," he said, not even l

the kind sold on every street corner in Paris for a euro. He had b

she said, he

the boxes. "What' s all thi

le playing on his lips, and walked into the bedroom to take the call. Ava coul

ss of water when she heard voices from the hallway. Liam's friends, Mark and Josh, wer

with Chloe?" Mark as

ying back thinking they' re getting married, whil

family is loaded. He' s an id

ade her a snob. Besides, Chloe' s way more fun. A

herself had given her in high school, pushing her down a flight of stairs. Liam knew that story. H

ing to spin. She leaned agains

is face. He saw his friends, then he saw Ava, p

okay? You l

ne," she

ismissively, already turning his attention to his fr

needing to get out, to get air. She put her key in the lock to leave, but it wouldn't turn. Confused, she tried again. It was then she noti

door opened, and Liam walked in, his arm once again wrapped tigh

am had the decency to look slightly uncomfortable. Ch

ing his throat. "We, uh, were ju

a repeated, he

er high school, Ava? I was always so much better at games than you w

wound, the memory of her high school to

egained his swagger. He gestured for Chloe

walked her past Ava as if she were a piece of furniture, guiding Chloe to the cou

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