Ava barely remembered the drive home. Her vision blurred with equal parts rage and shame, her grip on the steering wheel tight enough to ache. Ethan’s words replayed in her head, sharp and unforgiving, like they’d been carved into her skin.
By the time she reached her apartment, she was shaking. She tossed her bag on the floor and collapsed onto the couch, burying her face in her hands. For the first time in years, she wanted to scream, to shatter something, anything, just to release the storm inside her.
Her phone buzzed. She ignored it. It buzzed again, harder this time, until she finally snatched it up.
Ethan.
Her thumb hovered over the screen. She should block him. She needed to block him. Instead, she answered.
“Don’t ever call me again,” she hissed.
On the other end, his voice
