Chapter 2

Ava' s instructions to David were precise.

The Grand Lakeview Suite, booked under her name, was to encounter an unforeseen "maintenance issue."

Something that would make it unavailable for the night.

She knew Chloe. Chloe would aim for the best, and Ethan would try to give it to her.

Ava sat in her quiet apartment, the Instagram images burning in her mind.

The betrayal wasn't just Ethan's, it was Chloe's calculated move.

Her phone rang. Ethan.

She let it go to voicemail.

He called again. And again.

Finally, a text: "At the inn. Suite issue. Chloe is upset. Where are you?"

Ava almost laughed. Chloe is upset.

Another text: "Manager said you called. What's going on, Ava?"

So, he was starting to understand. Good.

She pictured the scene: Chloe, denied the luxury she clearly expected. Ethan, flustered, realizing Ava wasn't a doormat.

His next text confirmed it: "Giving Chloe my room. Driving back for you now. Chloe' s coming too, wants to apologize, mediate."

Mediate? Chloe, the arsonist, offering to mediate the fire she started.

Ava saw more Instagram stories pop up from Chloe during their drive back.

Chloe, looking concerned in the passenger seat of Ethan' s car, caption: "Trying to make things right. Family is everything."

Ava' s family. Not Chloe' s.

Ava' s fingers flew across her phone screen, typing a message to Ethan.

"Don't bother. We're done."

She blocked his number.

When the buzzer to her apartment building rang, she ignored it.

He buzzed again, then started calling from the building's intercom.

"Ava! Let me in! We need to talk!"

She finally went down, not to reconcile, but to end it properly.

Ethan stood in the lobby, looking tired and angry. Chloe hovered behind him, dabbing her eyes with a tissue.

"Ava, thank God," Chloe began, stepping forward. "I am so, so sorry. I never meant to cause any trouble. I told Ethan it was a bad idea for me to come, but he insisted."

Ava looked past Chloe, directly at Ethan.

"You forced me out of your car for her," Ava said, her voice steady. "You left me. You partied with her. And now you bring her here for this performance?"

"Ava, she feels terrible," Ethan said, his tone pleading.

"I don't care how she feels," Ava stated. "I care how I feel. And I feel done."

Just then, her mother and brother, Liam, arrived. Chloe must have called them.

"Ava, darling, what is all this?" her mother said, rushing to Chloe's side. "Chloe is so upset. She explained everything. It was just a misunderstanding."

Liam scowled at Ava. "You're overreacting, Ava. Chloe didn't mean any harm. You' re just being jealous."

Jealous. The word stung.

Ava looked at her family, siding with the manipulator.

"The engagement is over," Ava announced, looking straight at Ethan. "I mean it."

She turned and walked back to the elevator, leaving them all standing there.