Chapter 3

Ava walked away from Liam's house, his words echoing in her head. A disgrace. Her whole body was soaked and trembling, but she barely felt the cold. She felt numb.

The only place she could think to go was her grandmother' s.

Grandma Rose lived in a run-down part of the city, in a small, cluttered apartment that always smelled like cinnamon and love. She was the one person in the world who had never looked at Ava with disappointment.

When her grandmother opened the door and saw her, she didn't ask questions. She just pulled Ava into a warm, tight hug.

"Oh, my sweet girl," she whispered, stroking Ava's wet hair.

Later, wrapped in a thick blanket and sipping hot tea, Ava told her everything.

"He said... he said I'm a disgrace." The words came out on a choked sob.

Grandma Rose held her hand. "Liking someone is not a disgrace, Ava. It's the most natural thing in the world. Sometimes, the heart just wants what it wants, even if it's not good for us."

A few days later, her grandmother handed her a glossy magazine. "I saw this at the store."

On the cover was Liam, part of an article titled "The City's Most Eligible Bachelors." Inside, it detailed his preferences. He liked women who were quiet, elegant, and sophisticated. Everything Ava wasn't.

A desperate idea took root in her mind. Maybe... maybe if she changed, he would see her.

She spent the next week transforming herself. She dyed her hair back to its natural brown, bought a simple, elegant dress, and practiced walking and talking with a quiet grace that felt completely foreign.

She found out where he was having a business lunch and went there. When she walked up to his table, he looked up, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

"Ava?"

"Hello, Liam," she said softly, proud of how steady her voice was. She tried to slide into the booth next to him.

He put a hand up, stopping her. "What are you doing now?" he asked, his voice low and irritated. "What is this costume?"

Her carefully constructed composure crumbled. "I'm not wearing a costume. This is me. This is the kind of woman you like, right? Quiet and... and elegant."

His face hardened. "It's pathetic."

The humiliation was a physical blow. But she couldn't give up. Not yet. She took a deep breath. "Liam, I love you."

The bustling restaurant seemed to go silent. He stared at her, his expression unreadable for a moment before it turned to ice. He stood up, grabbed her arm, and pulled her out of the restaurant, his fingers digging into her skin.

He practically threw her into his car. "Are you insane? Announcing that in public?"

The stress and the heartache were too much for her already weak body. A wave of dizziness washed over her, and she felt something warm trickle from her nose. She touched her face and her fingers came away red. Blood.

"Liam, please," she gasped, the words tumbling out in a rush. "I don't have much time. The doctor said... maybe only a year. Can you just... can you just be with me for a little while? Just pretend?"

He looked at the blood on her fingers, then at her face. There was no concern in his eyes. Only suspicion.

"You'd even lie about dying to get my attention?" he said, his voice laced with contempt. "You really are desperate."

He got out of the car, walked around to her side, and pulled her out onto the street.

"Stay away from me, Ava. I'm serious."

Then he got back in his car and drove away, leaving her standing there, with blood on her face and her heart shattering into a million pieces.