Chapter 4

The night of Chloe' s grand birthday party arrived.

Ava had done as she was told, meticulously planning every detail.

The ballroom of one of Ethan' s hotels was transformed into a glittering wonderland.

It was everything Chloe could have dreamed of, and a perfect echo of Ava' s own past desires for her wedding.

Ava, dressed in a plain, dark uniform, moved like a ghost among the guests, ensuring everything ran smoothly.

She overheard snippets of conversation.

"Ethan is so devoted to Chloe. Look at this party!"

"She's so lucky. He spares no expense for her."

"That Ava Miller, his ex... I heard she's working for them now. How pathetic."

"Chloe is so much better for him. More sophisticated, more deserving."

Each word was a tiny needle, pricking at her already raw nerves.

Her public humiliation was complete.

Ethan and Chloe were the radiant couple, the center of attention, while Ava was the fallen woman, a servant in her own tragic opera.

Chloe, resplendent in a diamond-studded gown, glided through the crowd, Ethan by her side.

She spotted Ava near the buffet table.

A malicious glint appeared in Chloe's eyes.

She approached Ava, a predatory smile on her lips.

"Ava, darling," Chloe said, her voice loud enough for nearby guests to hear. "There's something I want."

She pointed to the simple gold locket around Ava's neck.

It was the last gift from Ava's grandmother, her most precious possession, the only piece of jewelry Ethan hadn't taken.

"That locket," Chloe said. "It's rather quaint, but I think it would amuse me. Give it to me."

Ava's hand instinctively went to the locket.

It was a piece of her past, a symbol of love and family.

To give it to Chloe would be like surrendering the last fragment of her soul.

The guests watched, curious, sensing drama.

Ethan stood by, his expression unreadable, but he didn't intervene.

Ava looked at Chloe, then at the expectant faces around them.

She thought of her grandmother's loving smile when she had given her the locket.

"It will always keep you safe, my dear," she had said.

Safe.

The word was a mockery now.

What meaning did this locket hold in her current reality?

It was just another thing for them to take, to defile.

Her grandmother was gone. Her family was shattered. Her love was a ruin.

With a sigh that seemed to carry the weight of all her losses, Ava slowly unclasped the locket.

Her fingers trembled slightly.

She held it out to Chloe.

"It has lost its meaning for me," Ava said, her voice barely a whisper, yet clear in the sudden hush.

Chloe snatched it, her eyes gleaming with triumph. She immediately put it on, a vulgar display against her glittering dress.

Ava felt a strange sense of detachment, of finality.

Another piece of her past, surrendered.

Another tie to hope, severed.

Ethan watched, a muscle twitching in his jaw, but he said nothing.

Later, Chloe, feigning a slight cough, leaned dramatically against Ethan.

"Darling," she said, her voice weak, "I'm not feeling too well. The doctor said my heart is still a bit fragile from the shock of... well, you know."

She cast a pointed look at Ava.

Ethan's expression darkened as he looked at Ava.

Then, he said something that made Ava's blood run cold.

"Ava's family has a history of medical expertise," Ethan said, his voice chillingly casual. "Perhaps she could be of use. Healthy people like her often have organs to spare."

He looked directly at Ava. "Chloe needs a strong heart. Maybe you should consider donating yours, Ava. It would be a fitting atonement for your father's sins."

The dramatic irony was suffocating.

He was unknowingly suggesting she donate the very organ that wasn't truly hers to give again, the organ that was already failing her, the organ whose original owner had saved his life years ago, a truth he was blind to.

Ava felt a dizzy spell, the room tilting.

Her own artificial heart, the secret that defined her fragile existence, hammered painfully against her ribs.

Chloe, however, recoiled in mock horror.

"Ethan, no! How could you suggest such a thing?" she cried, clinging to him.

"Her heart? I wouldn't want anything from her family inside me! They're tainted!"

She looked at Ava with disdain.

"Besides, I was the one who saved you, Ethan. Remember? I gave you my love, my support, when you had nothing. My heart is pure, devoted only to you."

She turned her face into his chest, sobbing delicately.

"Don't ever suggest I take something from her."

Ethan's expression softened as he comforted Chloe.

He stroked her hair. "You're right, my love. Forgive me. It was a foolish thought."

He glared at Ava. "You're not worthy of such a sacrifice anyway."

His words, meant to wound, were a shield for Ava's secret.

Chloe's manipulative rejection had, ironically, protected her from further, impossible demands.

But it also solidified Ethan's delusion, pushing Ava further into isolation.

Ethan pulled Chloe into a passionate embrace, right there in the middle of the ballroom.

He kissed her deeply, possessively, a public declaration of his affection for her, and his disdain for Ava.

The guests applauded, cooing at the romantic display.

For Ava, it was the final blow.

Watching them, her tormentor and her betrayer, locked in a lover's embrace, celebrated by the world, shattered the last vestiges of her endurance.

The pain in her chest intensified, spreading, stealing her breath.

She felt a profound despair, a longing for escape, for an end to this unbearable suffering.

She stumbled backwards, away from the scene, her vision blurring.

She needed to get out, to find a place where she could breathe, where she could just... stop.

She found herself on a balcony overlooking the hotel gardens.

Below, a large ornamental pond glittered in the moonlight.

It looked peaceful. Inviting.

An escape.

As Ava leaned against the balcony railing, trying to catch her breath, a figure brushed past her in the dim light.

A shove. Hard and unexpected.

She lost her balance, a small cry escaping her lips as she tumbled over the railing.

The fall seemed to take forever.

Then, the shock of cold water engulfed her.

She sank beneath the surface, the water surprisingly deep.

For a moment, panic flared.

Then, a strange sense of peace washed over her.

This was it. Release.

She didn't fight. She didn't struggle.

She let the water pull her down, into the cold, silent darkness.

The pain in her chest eased. The voices faded.

It was an end. And in that moment, she welcomed it.