Ava’s POV:
(Flashback)
I didn’t plan to meet him that night.
If anything, I planned the opposite. The entire evening was supposed to be controlled and predictable. One last appearance before everything in my life became fixed and immovable.
The engagement had already been announced. The date had already been chosen. Every decision about my future had been made in rooms I wasn’t even invited into.
The gala was simply just another performance.
Another dress. Another smile. Another room full of people pretending power is not the only language being spoken.
I remember standing at the top of the staircase before entering the main hall. The lights below were too bright. Crystal chandeliers reflecting off polished floors. Laughter that sounded rehearsed.
I almost turned around.
Not becau
