Chapter 3

In the weeks after the disastrous dinner party, Julian sought me out.

He was different, softer, more attentive than I'd ever known him to be.

He apologized for his words at the dinner, blaming the pressure from his parents.

"I didn't mean it, Ava," he'd said, his eyes sincere. "You're not unfocused. You're passionate."

I was vulnerable, still reeling from the public humiliation and the fresh reminder of my family's precarious position.

His kindness felt like a lifeline.

We started spending time together, just the two of us.

Long walks, quiet dinners, conversations that stretched late into the night.

He listened to me, really listened, in a way Caleb and Leo never had.

He made me feel seen, understood.

He made me feel safe.

Slowly, tentatively, I let myself believe this was real.

A genuine connection, a healing.

He never pressed about my "boyfriend," and I let the lie fade away, unspoken.

My parents were ecstatic, of course.

A relationship with Julian Cartwright was everything they had hoped for.

I told myself it wasn't just about that, it was about Julian, about the way he looked at me, the way he made me feel.

The culmination was supposed to be a charity gala, a major social event.

Julian had asked me to be his date.

I' d spent weeks preparing, a new dress, a sense of nervous excitement.

This felt like my re-entry, not as the fallen Thompson girl, but as Julian Cartwright's partner.

I even threw a small pre-gala party at my house for Julian, a gesture of affection, of commitment.

He arrived, handsome and smiling, and for a moment, everything felt perfect.

Then Caleb and Leo walked in, uninvited, smirking.

"Well, well, well," Caleb said, his eyes glinting. "Looks like old Jules actually pulled it off."

Leo grinned. "Congrats, man. You won the bet."

My blood ran cold.

"Bet?" I whispered, looking at Julian.

His smile vanished, replaced by a look of panic.

"Ava, I can explain."

But Caleb was already talking, his voice loud, carrying through the room.

"Yeah, the bet. To see if Julian could 'rehabilitate' the fallen Ava Thompson. Or, you know, just get you into bed."

Laughter rippled through the small crowd of Julian's friends who had gathered.

Leo added, his charming face now cruel, "He said you'd be easy, after everything. Desperate for a way back in."

Each word was a blow.

I looked at Julian, my heart shattering.

The kindness, the attentiveness, the understanding – all a lie. A game.

He wouldn't meet my eyes.

The "savior" from last year, the one who had comforted me through the cyberbullying, was just another tormentor.

The pain was immense, a crushing weight of betrayal.

"Get out," I said, my voice trembling but firm. "All of you. Get out of my house."

They looked surprised, then Caleb shrugged.

"Sure. Game's over anyway."

They left, their laughter echoing behind them.

Julian remained, looking miserable.

"Ava, please. It started as a bet, but... it became more."

"More?" I repeated, my voice hollow. "More humiliation for me? More amusement for you and your friends?"

I couldn't cry, I was too numb, too broken.

"We're done, Julian," I said, the words final. "Completely done."

He reached for me, but I flinched away.

The Julian who had held my hand through the aftermath of the cyberbullying was a phantom, a carefully constructed illusion.

The real Julian was standing before me, a participant in my destruction.