NOT A DOORMAT ANYMORE

I'll make you pay, Ethan.

Ava's Pov:

Ethan walked in with a bouquet of white roses in his hand and a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

He looked exactly the same as I remembered, with his erfectly styled dark hair, his expensive suit, and that practiced expression of concern he wore so well.

My stomach turned. Adrenaline rushing in.

He closed the door behind him and approached the bed, setting the flowers down on the small table beside me.

"Ava," he said softly. "I came as soon as I heard. Are you alright?"

I stared at him.

In my previous life, I would have smiled. I would have nodded eagerly, grateful that he'd even bothered to show up.

But now, all I could see was the way he'd looked at me on the floor. The way he'd walked away while I was bleeding out on the broken glass.

I took an instinctive step back, my body reacting before my mind could catch up.

Ethan's brow furrowed. "Ava? What's wrong?"

I forced myself to breathe, and to calm down.

He doesn't know. He hasn't done it yet. Not in this timeline.

I shook my head quickly and signed that I was fine, my hands moving slower than usual, deliberately casual.

He watched my hands with that familiar look of mild irritation he always had when I signed. Like it was an inconvenience he had to tolerate.

"The doctor said it was just a sprained ankle," he said, picking up the chart at the foot of my bed and skimming it. "Nothing serious. You'll be able to go home today."

Home.

The word felt like a weight settling on my chest.

Back to that house. Back to my stepmother's cold indifference and my father's disappointment. Back to pretending everything was fine while they planned a wedding I would never survive.

But not this time.

This time, I knew what was coming.

Ethan set the chart down and started gathering my things from the small cabinet beside the bed. My coat. My bag. The shoes I'd been wearing when I came in.

Pretending to be the caring boyfriend and soon to be fiancé.

"I'll take you home," he said, like it was already decided. "My car's outside."

I nodded slowly, watching him move around the room with that easy confidence.

He had no idea.

He had no idea that I knew exactly what kind of man he was. What kind of man he would become.

A nurse came in to discharge me, going over instructions I barely heard. Something about rest and icing the ankle and following up with my doctor.

I signed my understanding and took the paperwork she handed me.

Ethan helped me into a wheelchair even though I could walk fine. It was all for show. The caring fiancé. The devoted partner.

I wanted to push his hands away.

But I stayed still and compliant.

For now.

---

The car ride was quiet.

Ethan drove with one hand on the wheel, his other resting casually on the center console. Classical music played softly through the speakers. Everything about him screamed control and composure.

I sat in the passenger seat, my hands folded in my lap, staring out the window.

The city passed by in a blur of buildings and traffic. Everything looked the same as I remembered. The same stores. The same billboards. The same gray sky threatening rain.

It really was a year ago.

"You scared me, you know," Ethan said suddenly, breaking the silence.

I glanced at him.

He kept his eyes on the road, his expression unreadable.

"When I got the call that you'd been admitted to the hospital," he continued. "I thought something serious had happened."

Liar. A pathetic liar.

I turned back to the window, my jaw tight.

He didn't care. He never cared.

This was just another performance. Another chance to play the role of the concerned fiancé. Another chance to woo me into getting married to him. But not anymore.

"You need to be more careful, Ava," he said, his tone gentle but firm. "You can't afford to get hurt. Not with the wedding coming up."

The wedding. Have we already finalised it? I couldn't remember.

My hands clenched in my lap.

There wasn't going to be a wedding. Not if I had anything to say about it.

But I nodded anyway, keeping my face neutral.

Ethan seemed satisfied with that. He turned up the music slightly and went back to driving.

I watched the buildings pass, my mind racing.

I needed a plan. I needed to figure out how to break this engagement without making things worse. My father wouldn't let me go easily. The merger between our families was too important to him.

And Ethan...

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye.

He would fight it too. Not because he loved me, but because losing me meant losing the deal.

I needed leverage. I needed something that would make him want to let me go.

And then there was Vivian.

My chest tightened at the thought of her.

She wanted him. She'd always wanted him.

Maybe I could use that.

Maybe I could push them together. I'd make it easy for them. Make them think they were getting away with something.

And when the time came, I'd make sure everyone knew exactly what kind of people they were.

The car slowed as we turned onto my street.

The house came into view. It was large, imposing and cold.

My stomach twisted.

I wasn't ready to face them yet. My stepmother. Vivian. My father.

But I didn't have a choice.

Ethan pulled into the driveway and put the car in park.

He turned to me, his hand reaching out to touch my shoulder.

"Let me help you inside," he said.

I looked at his hand.

In my previous life, I would have leaned into his touch. I would have been grateful for the support.

But now, all I felt was disgust.

I nodded stiffly and let him open the door.