"Violet..." Ava murmured, her gaze oscillating between Ethan and Violet. Observing them together, memories of Ethan and Violet as a couple flooded her mind.
"Babe?" He called out, but Ava's attention was riveted on Violet. Ethan, following her gaze, also looked at Violet. "Sorry I'm late," he stammered, moving towards Ava.
Then Violet interrupted, exclaiming as she enveloped Ava in a hug, "Ava, it's been ages!"
Ava, rigid in Violet's embrace, clenched her fist secretly. "Violet, you're back?" Her eyes met Ethan's, detecting a flicker of guilt before he averted his gaze.
"Yep, I've returned!" Violet beamed, stepping back from the hug.
The sound of Fred's voice approached from the living room, accompanied by their friends. They all appeared startled upon seeing Violet.
"Hi everyone, I'm back!" Violet greeted, waving enthusiastically. However, the group's response was tepid, their faces etched with confusion and concern, particularly towards Ava. It was as if they all knew about Ethan and Violet's past relationship.
Amy, with a tone of displeasure, queried, "Ethan, did you pick Violet up from the airport? Why did you arrive together?" Her question echoed Ava's unspoken thoughts.
Ethan finally approached Ava, his steps heavy with reluctance. "Hi, love, sorry I'm late," he murmured, meeting her eyes. "I... uh..."
"Can't you all show a little excitement to see me?" Violet interjected, feigning disappointment. "I wanted it to be a surprise! I lost your numbers but still had Ethan's, so I asked him for a lift from the airport. I knew you'd all be here for Fred's birthday." She leaned in to peck Fred on the cheek. "Happy birthday, Fred!"
Ava noticed the others' disdainful scoffs. Violet, glancing at Ava, said, "I assumed Ethan told you, Ava. I didn't think you'd keep secrets, especially with your wedding coming up." Her smirk was thinly veiled.
A chill ran through Ava, but she masked her pain with a smile, wrapping her arms around Ethan's waist. "You should've mentioned Violet's return, Ethan. We could have prepared a proper welcome," she said, kissing him.
Ethan replied awkwardly, "I'm sorry..."
Tony intervened, easing the tension by ushering everyone back to the dining room. Ethan and Ava sat together, with Violet directly opposite them.
"As we were saying, time to sing 'Happy Birthday' to Fred and enjoy the cake," Sofia chimed in. Carlson emerged with the birthday cake.
Following the birthday song, Fred thanked Ava for the cake. "It's gorgeous," he praised.
"Of course," Ava replied, her smile hiding the turmoil within.
Laughter and stories flowed as freely as the wine, with the group reminiscing about everything from Fred's relocation to Canada to the upcoming wedding. Ava watched her friends, a content smile on her face as she cut the cake she had baked herself.
However, the mood shifted when Violet, with a hint of mischief in her smile, said, "So, Ava, did you know that Ethan and I used to date in college just right before I left for France?" Her tone was casual, but it carried an undercurrent of something more.
The room fell silent, and their friends exchanged startled glances. Violet continued, glancing at Ethan, "We dated for uh..." She paused expectantly. "How long was it again, Ethan?"
Ethan, caught off guard, stammered, "H...huh?"
Violet flicked her fingers dismissively. "Right, we dated for two years. Almost three."
Amy, Sofia, and Jasmine rolled their eyes in unison, visibly annoyed. Amy's voice, sharp with irritation, cut through the tension. "It's in the past now, Vi. It's irrelevant. Why bring it up?"
Unfazed, Violet turned to Ava. "I just wanted to ask if you knew. We were each other's first love, after all. And I wanted to let you know, Ava, that there's no hard feelings."
Ava clenched her fists under the table, her heart racing. "Of course, I knew," she lied, her voice steady but her insides churning. "If you hadn't left six years ago, you and my fiancé might have been married by now." Her words were bold, yet they echoed painfully in her heart.
Violet's smile wavered, and Ava felt a momentary sense of triumph.
Violet raised her beer can, attempting to lighten the atmosphere. "Oh well, just like what Amy said, it's all in the past now. I'm happy for both of you. So, cheers!" The toast was echoed, though the cheerfulness was somewhat strained.
Ethan, looking visibly upset, suddenly stood up. "I'm just gonna get some fresh air," he muttered, then walked out. Ava was left hanging, a wave of concern washing over her.
The boys, sensing the tension, followed Ethan out. The girls remained at the table, each lost in their thoughts. Ava decided to help Fred with the cleanup, giving Ethan the space he needed.
In the kitchen, Ava silently cleared the plates and loaded the dishwasher, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. Fred returned from taking out the trash and noticed her preoccupied look. "Are you okay in here, Ava?" he asked, concern etched in his voice. "I'm sorry I made you clean up."
She chuckled, a sound more forced than amused. "No worries. I don't mind at all." They leaned against the countertop, waiting for the dishwasher to finish, their friends' muted voices drifting in from the patio.
Fred hesitated before speaking again. "I wanted to know if you're alright. Violet's words earlier were quite surprising."
Ava smiled, but it was tinged with bitterness. "I'm good. Thanks for asking, Fred. Did you know too that they dated before?"
Fred nodded. "I was surprised to know that you knew as well. They only dated secretly. We found out about it a few months before Vi left for France." He looked at her curiously. "How did you know?"
Ava's smile faded, her heart heavy. "Two weeks ago..." she confessed softly.
Fred saw the pain in her eyes and tried to offer comfort. "But hey, you're the one he's getting married to. Don't let their past relationship affect you, okay? You're the one he's in love with."
Ava's heart sank further. 'He's not in love with me', she wanted to confess, but the words wouldn't come. Her eyes welled up, meeting Fred's gaze filled with concern.
As the evening came to a close, with Amy and Carlson announcing their departure, Ava remained in a daze. "Where's Ethan?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.
"He went back to the balcony upstairs," Carlson informed her.
Ava dashed upstairs, needing to tell Ethan that Carlson and Amy were leaving. As she hit the top step, she spotted Ethan on the balcony, beer in hand. She almost approached him, but then Violet showed up next to him. Ava ducked out of sight, shocked to see Violet there. They seemed so close, too close.
Violet broke the silence. "I thought you'd wait for me," she said, a mix of surprise and hurt in her voice. Ethan, caught off guard, just looked at her. "You kept texting, asking me to come back, even though you weren't sure I'd get the messages. So why are you getting married now?" Violet asked, sounding betrayed.
Ethan, lost for words, just took another sip of his beer. "You said you loved me. Was that just to get me back here?"
He replied, troubled, "When I said I loved you, I meant it."
Violet's voice was full of disappointment. "Then why go through with the wedding? You knew I was coming back. I thought you'd have broken it off with Ava."
Ethan ran his hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. "Ava and I have been together six years. I can't just throw her away. You should get that, Violet, after all you've put me through."
Violet's face showed guilt. "Your dad wanted me out of the picture. He threatened my future. I had to leave you for my family's sake."
Violet stepped back, crying. "He would have ruined my chance to become a doctor, and I needed that to help my family out of poverty. I've always told you about this. Leaving you tore me apart. But now, I'm back, on my own terms. Ethan, please, come back to me. I can't stand seeing you with her."
Ethan's face softened, and he held her close. "I promise, I will," he whispered, their eyes locked in a silent promise.
Ava, hidden from view, felt her heart break. There was Ethan, her fiancé, in the arms of another woman. She curled up, trying to comfort herself. Luckily, their friends were too busy downstairs to notice her breaking down.
Ava's tears were a silent river, flowing unnoticed until Amy found her, concern etched on her face. Ava, with a trembling voice, begged Amy not to cause a scene. They quietly moved to the back of the house, a quiet spot away from the drama.
"Ava, he's your fiancé! You can't just let this slide," Amy insisted, anger and a desperate need to protect Ava in her voice.
Ava's smile was a cracked facade. "Confront them? For what? It's painfully obvious Ethan was never really mine." Her voice broke, and the floodgates opened. She collapsed into Amy's arms, her body wracked with sobs, each one a testament to the depth of her heartache.
"He... he said he never loved me," Ava sobbed, her voice breaking. "All this time, Ethan was just pretending. It's like I'm trapped in a nightmare I can't escape, Ames. It hurts so bad!"
"What are you gonna do now, Ava?" Amy asked, her voice a mix of worry and determination. "You're not gonna just let him go, right? Fight for him, for you guys..."
Ava's voice was shaky, filled with doubt. "I don't know, Ames. Does Ethan even want me to fight for him?" Her eyes were swimming in tears. "I've loved him my whole life. But he's in love with Vi. How do I make him stay when he's set on someone else?" Her sobs were quiet but heart-wrenching.
Amy was firm, almost insistent. "Come on, Ava. Six years is a long time. There's no way Ethan felt nothing all those years. Perhaps Ethan's just tangled in past memories because Vi's back. But don't throw in the towel just yet. Trust what you guys had, it's gotta count for something."
Ava's tears slowed down, Amy's words sinking in. A tiny spark of hope flickered in her. "You're right. I can't just give up. I've got to fight for us." Amy's words lit a fire in Ava, reviving her fighting spirit.
"That's my girl. Now, go get your man upstairs. We'll head out together," Amy encouraged, a proud smile on her face. She gently tucked Ava's hair behind her ear. Together, they walked back inside. Ava, with newfound resolve, went upstairs to fetch Ethan.
Violet's expression turned to stone as Ava told Ethan she wanted to leave. Ethan hesitated, a conflict visible in his eyes, but ultimately, he had no choice but to follow his fiancée. Hand in hand, Ava and Ethan left Fred's house, joined by Amy and Carlson. Sofia and Jasmine, meanwhile, offered to drive Violet back to her hotel.
Ethan's silence during the drive was deafening, his face a mask of seriousness that left Ava too intimidated to break the silence. Upon arriving at their apartment, he brushed past her, his silence like a wall between them.
"Babe, what's wrong?" Ava ventured, her voice trembling, even though she knew the answer. He was upset about leaving Violet behind, and now his mood was heavy and sullen. She approached him, her hands gently caressing his arms. "You look so tired. How about a warm bath to relax?" Her smile was full of love, but her heart was heavy.
Ethan's gaze lingered on her, distant and pained, as if he was seeing someone else in her place. Ava's heart twisted painfully at the thought, and she quickly looked away.
"I'll get your bath ready," she murmured, not waiting for his reply. In the bathroom, as the water filled the tub, Ava crumpled to the floor, her whole body wracked with sobs that she tried to stifle with her hands over her mouth.
The vivid image of Ethan and Violet, intimately close, replayed in her mind like a cruel loop, each scene slicing through her heart. The pain was raw and consuming, tearing through her with a ferocity that left her feeling utterly exposed and vulnerable. In that moment, alone on the cold bathroom floor, Ava felt the full weight of her heartbreak, a deep, aching emptiness that seemed to echo through her entire being.
After a while, a knock at the door jolted her. "Ava, are you okay in there?" Ethan's voice, laced with concern, barely reached her.
"Ye...yeah. Just a minute," she called out, barely recognizing her own voice. Rising to the sink, her reflection in the mirror was that of someone shattered, a shadow of her usual self. She washed her face, erasing the tear streaks, and forced a bright smile.
Opening the door, she said cheerfully, "The bath's ready for you."
"Thanks, babe," Ethan replied, his voice empty. As he began to close the door, Ava stopped him, gripping the doorknob. "Need anything else?"
"Join you in the bath?" she offered playfully, attempting to lighten the mood. Ethan did smile, but it was hollow, not reaching his eyes.
"Maybe next time, babe. I'm just too tired today," he said, his expression blank as he closed the door on her. Ava stood there, her hand still on the doorknob, feeling more alone than ever.
Ava slipped into her pajamas and laid out Ethan's on the closet drawer. Settling into bed, she opened a book, trying to distract herself while waiting for Ethan to finish his bath. As time ticked by, her eyelids grew heavy, but her attention snapped to Ethan's phone lighting up and vibrating on the bedside table. It was Violet calling.
Tempted to answer, Ava hesitated as the bathroom door creaked open. Quickly, she lay back down, feigning sleep. Ethan's footsteps approached the bed.
"Hello? Yeah, sorry we had to rush off," Ethan spoke, his voice even. "You got to your hotel okay? Good," she heard him say. He continued talking as he changed into his pajamas from the drawer.
The room fell silent for a few moments before Ethan picked up his phone again. "Yes, she's asleep," he murmured, continuing his conversation with Violet. Ava strained to hear more, but Ethan stepped out onto the balcony, closing the sliding door behind him.
Left alone in the bed, Ava could feel the distance between them widen with each passing minute as Ethan lingered on the balcony, engrossed in his talk with Violet. The bed felt emptier, colder, and Ava lay there, engulfed in a profound sense of isolation.