Chapter 2 The ring that won't come off

Chapter Two

The train ride back to Baltimore was a fast and I had enough time to think about what had just happened during this weekend in Vegas.

My mind replayed every detail of the night in Vegas, the chapel, the vows, Nico's piercing green eyes as he said, "I do." It was all ridiculous, surreal. And yet, the gold band on my finger told me it wasn't a dream.

I didn't have the courage to take it off, though. Not yet.

When I reached my apartment building, it felt like stepping into a ghost town. Everything was too quiet, too still, the air heavy with the memories I wanted to escape. My hands trembled as I unlocked the door, half-expecting to see Jayden lounging on the couch with that stupid grin of his.

But of course, he wasn't there. I had kicked him out before leaving for Vegas, and judging by the dusty layer on the coffee table, he hadn't been back.

Good riddance.

Still, the emptiness gnawed at me as I dropped my bag and sat on the couch. The silence was suffocating. I turned on the TV, not caring what played, just needing to drown out the noise in my head.

I stared at the screen, but all I saw was Nico, his smirk, the way he looked at me like I was the only person in the room. How could I have let myself get swept up in something so reckless? I barely knew the man, and now I was married to him.

Married.

The word tasted foreign on my tongue. Stupid Ava, how can you accept to such a stupid idea in the first place. But wait a minute, it doesn't count since we didn't sign a document or something.

I reached for my phone, tempted to call someone, anyone, to talk about it. But who would I call? My sister, who'd been sleeping with my boyfriend? My parents, who hadn't supported my modeling career from the start?

No, I was on my own in this mess.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "What the hell have you done, Ava?"

The next two weeks were tough especially when you don't know what to do with your life. I threw myself into job applications, reaching out to contacts in Baltimore's modest fashion scene. But the blacklisting from New York had followed me, and rejection after rejection piled up.

Meanwhile, the ring stayed on my finger. I told myself I'd take it off eventually, but every time I tried, I hesitated. It wasn't sentimentality. It was guilt, maybe even shame.

One night, as I sat in bed scrolling through job listings, there was a knock at the door. It was almost midnight, far too late for visitors. My heart raced as I tiptoed to the peephole.

Nico.

I stepped back, my pulse hammering in my ears. How had he found me?

"Ava," he called, his voice calm but firm. "I know you're in there."

I bit my lip, debating whether to pretend I wasn't home. But Nico didn't seem like the type to give up easily.

Taking a deep breath, I unlocked the door and opened it just a crack.

He stood there, impossibly handsome in a tailored suit, holding a piece of paper in his hand. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes softened when they met mine.

"Hello, wife."

I flinched at the word. "What are you doing here?"

He held up the paper, a marriage certificate. "We need to talk."

Fuck I thought we didn't sign any document. I'm damned.

I let him in, though I wasn't sure why. Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe it was the way his presence filled the room, making it feel a little less empty.

Nico didn't sit down. He stood in the center of my living room, towering over the space like he owned it.

"You left without saying goodbye," he said, his tone more amused than accusatory.

I crossed my arms, trying to keep my voice steady. "I left a note."

"A note that said, 'Thanks for the adventure, but this was a mistake.'" He raised an eyebrow. "Not exactly closure, Ava."

I swallowed hard, avoiding his gaze. "It was Vegas. People do stupid things in Vegas all the time. I thought you'd understand."

He stepped closer, his green eyes locking onto mine. "What I understand is that we're married. Whether it was stupid or not, it's real."

Panic flared in my chest. "We can get an annulment. I'm sure it won't be hard."

Nico's jaw tightened. "No."

"No?" I repeated, incredulous. "What do you mean, no?"

"I mean we're not getting an annulment."

I stared at him, trying to process his words. "You can't be serious."

"I'm very serious," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "This marriage may have started as a mistake, but it doesn't have to end that way."

I laughed, the sound bitter. "Why would you want to stay married to a woman you barely know?"

He hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor for a moment before meeting mine again. "Because it works for both of us. You're running from something, Ava. I can see it. And I'm running, too, in my own way. This marriage gives us both a shield."

"A shield?" I echoed, confused.

"You want to get back at whoever hurt you," he said, his voice low and intense. "And I need to stop my family from meddling in my life. We can help each other."

I shook my head, the weight of his words sinking in. "This is insane. I don't even know who you really are."

"You will," he promised. "But first, you need to decide if you're willing to take this chance."

The air between us was heavy, charged with something I couldn't quite name. Nico's presence was overwhelming, his confidence almost intoxicating.

For the first time in weeks, I felt a spark of something other than despair-curiosity, maybe even hope.

"Fine," I said finally. "But this doesn't mean I trust you."

He smirked, the corner of his mouth lifting in a way that made my stomach flip. "Fair enough. Trust takes time."