“Hey, girl. How was your breakfast?” Ava asked in an annoying, singsongy voice.


    “Not great,” I said honestly. “Especially because you didn’t help me out when you saw Ethan forcing me to have breakfast with him.”


    “That’s because Richard-”


    I cut her off with a sharp look. “It’s fine.”


    Ava went a little red, but her gaze lowered to the same marks on my neck that Ethan had noticed. I haven’t had time to cover them with makeup yet.


    “Ooo, seems like Alexander got a little possessivest night,” she teased and raised her eyebrows yfully. “Care to share?”


    “No,” I said tly, still hurt by her not helping me out with Ethan. “I have to dry my hair.”


    After I was done blow drying my hair, regret for how I treated Ava crept up on me like a fog. Soon, it had enveloped me, and I knew that I needed to make things right between us again. For myself and because I couldn’t move forward in the n without her.


    In the living area, Ava was sitting on the couch with her feet tucked under her, and she was reading a book.


    “Listen, I’m sorry I snapped at you,” I said,


    She shut her book. I’m sorry I didn’t help out with Ethan.”


    0.00<b>% </b>


    10.54


    288 Vouchers


    Her apology loosened the tightness in my chest. But when I sat down next to her, a lump developed in my throat. “I have something serious to talk to you about.”


    Her eyes widened. “Okay…”


    I exined to her about what Alexander had revealed to mest night: How Kelly lied about her grandmother and how he had met with Russell’s uncle and if we should meet with him.


    When I was finished, it took a minute for Ava to respond. When she collected her thoughts, her answer surprised me.


    “Wow, I can’t believe Alexander did that for you and didn’t even want to take credit at first!” she said and gently bumped her shoulder with mine. “Come on, give the guy a chance. He’s handsome, kind, and


    generous.


    “1


    I rolled my eyes. “Yeah and he also has the worst mood swings.”


    Ava’s face softened. “Is that the only reason that you don’t want to date him?” she asked gently.


    I wrung my hands together. “No…” I swallowed thickly. “I’m afraid that I’m just a stepping stone in Alexander’s life. Even if he doesn’t end up with someone like Naomi, that doesn’t mean that he will want to be with me. Everyone in high society would look down at him if he married someone of my low status.” I averted my gaze, and my body flushed. “Every touch, kiss, and moment that I spend with him is like a wonderful dream, but I’m always dreading the time when the rm clock will ring and I have to wake up from the fantasy.”


    “But if you don’t even shoot your shot with Alexander, he might think you’re not interested and move on,” Ava pointed out. “Not trying is even worse than trying and failing.”


    29.85%


    10:54


    288 (Vouchers


    She did have a good point, but I shook my head. “A brief moment of heartbreak is better than the pain after falling for someone just for them to end things. I can’t fall in love with Alexander because I know that he will just break my heart. I can’t go through that.” I bit my lip as pain sliced through me. “Not with him.”


    Ava let out a frustrated sigh. “Why do you think so much? Why are you so anti–love?”


    I stayed silent as her words hung in the air around us. Did she actually not know why? My ex–husband had cheated on me, and now his mistress was trying to ruin my life. After going through that, who wouldn’t be cautious with their heart? Even talking about this with her was hard for me.


    Inwardly, I thought about how I should distance myself from Alexander. It would be better for both of us if I did. He deserved someone who was open to falling in love. Not a cynic like me. Alexander needed a woman who was passionate about him.


    As if he knew I was thinking about him, my phone lit up with an iing call from where I had ced it on the coffee table. My stomach swooped when I saw Alexander’s name.


    70.89%