Chapter10
1224 Words
The car pulled into a long, paved driveway, lit by sleek ground lights that guided the path like stars lining a runway. At the end stood a mansion, bold, modern, and towering as it belonged to a man who owned everything and needed no one.
Black-tinted glass walls rose high under a silver-framed roof. The exterior lights cast a glow so elegant, it made the structure look untouchable like a sculpture meant to be admired from a distance. Ivy crept up one side, deliberately manicured, while sharp, angular designs broke up the structure like a piece of living architecture.
Ava stepped out of the car slowly, her eyes scanning the house from bottom to top. The cold night air kissed her skin, but she barely felt it. She was too busy feeling small. Like an outsider stepping into a life that wasn’t hers.
She followed Damien up the marble steps and through large double doors that opened into a space that looked like it belonged in a luxury magazine. The living room stretched wide, glowing with soft golden lights that reflected off polished stone floors. Everything was monochrome white, grey, and black, with hints of gold decor. A glass chandelier hung from the center, delicate and sharp like dripping crystals. The couch was massive, white leather, and curved like a crescent moon. Abstract art adorned the walls, and the faint scent of cinnamon lingered in the air.
Ava couldn’t hide the look on her face.
Her brows creased as she turned in a slow circle, taking it all in. “This… is where you live?”
Damien gave a small shrug, walking ahead without looking at her. “One of them.”
He moved toward the staircase and gestured for her to follow.
They climbed in silence until he stopped at a door on the second floor and opened it. He stepped aside.
“This is your room,” he said.
Ava stepped inside.
Her eyes widened.
The room was huge larger than her entire apartment. The bed was king-sized with ivory silk sheets and fluffy pillows stacked against a black velvet headboard. A wall-mounted TV sat across from the bed, and soft, sheer curtains framed tall glass windows overlooking the quiet city below.
There was a small sitting area, a vanity mirror, and a sleek full-length mirror in the corner. The scent of vanilla hung lightly in the air. Everything was warm and elegant… and feminine.
“Everything you’ll need is here,” Damien said behind her. “If you want anything else, ask me.”
She turned around, lips slightly parted, unsure of what to say.
But Damien was already walking away. He left the room, pulling the door closed behind him with a soft click.
Ava stood still for a few seconds before letting out a shaky breath.
She wandered deeper into the room. Her fingers brushed over the vanity. On it were skincare products, expensive ones lined up in neat rows. Serums, moisturizers, toners. All untouched.
Then she opened a drawer. Hair care products. Branded and full. Nothing looked old.
Her eyes narrowed.
Slowly, she turned toward the closet.
She walked to it, placed her hand on the handle, and pulled.
The lights turned on automatically.
And her heart stopped.
There, hanging perfectly on goldenrods, were rows of female clothes. Dresses. Blouses. Pants. All her size. Shoes lined the bottom. Lingerie folded neatly in drawers.
Ava took a step back, heart pounding.
What the hell…?
Her thoughts raced. Did he… have a girlfriend? Is this all hers? Did she leave? Or….her stomach turned, am I… replacing her?
She wrapped her arms around herself and muttered under her breath, “What is he up to?”
But she shook her head quickly, forcing the thoughts away. It didn’t matter. Not now.
She stripped out of her clothes, folded them in a neat pile, and slipped on the silk robe that hung behind the door. It hugged her body like water, soft and cool.
Without another word, she padded across the room and entered the bathroom.
It was just as stunning. Marble walls, a deep soaking tub, and a walk-in shower with golden fixtures. Everything was spotless.
She stared at her reflection for a moment.
Dark circles under her eyes. Her skin was pale. Her lips dry.
Ava swallowed.
Then slowly, she stepped into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.
The golden fixtures gleamed under the soft light, untouched and perfect. Her fingers trembled slightly as she turned the tap, letting steaming hot water pour into the bathtub. The sound filled the silence like gentle rainfall.
She added fragrant bath salts, lavender, and vanilla watching as they dissolved into the water, releasing soft curls of scent into the air. The bathroom was filled with warmth and calm, a stark contrast to the chaos burning inside her chest.
When the tub was halfway full, she untied the silk robe and let it slip from her shoulders, pooling softly at her feet. Carefully, she stepped into the hot water. Her body tensed at first, but as she sank deeper, letting the warmth soak into her skin, her muscles began to relax.
She leaned back against the edge of the tub, the water gently caressing her, wrapping her in its temporary comfort. Her eyes closed.
But her mind refused to stay still.
Ethan.
His name echoed in her thoughts like a wound reopening.
She remembered the way he used to hold her, the way he promised her a future, promised her forever. Now he belonged to someone else. Someone richer. Prettier. Better.
Her chest ached.
She pictured him now… maybe on a yacht, smiling with his new billionaire girlfriend, a girl who didn’t have to beg for a hospital bill, a girl who never cried herself to sleep. Did he kiss her the same way? Did he tell her the same lies?
Would he ever call?
Would he ever say, I made a mistake, Ava, I still love you. I want you back.
A flicker of hope stirred in her… only to shatter in the next second.
No.
He wasn’t coming back.
He had chosen. And it wasn’t her.
Ava opened her eyes slowly, blinking back the tears forming in the corners. The soft golden light reflected on the water’s surface, dancing like broken pieces of a life she used to have.
Her face, once full of life, now looked pale, fragile, hollow.
She lifted her hand from the water, watching droplets slide down her arm, and whispered to herself, “What does she have that I don’t?”
The silence didn’t answer.
Her eyes dropped to the small scar near her wrist, the one Ethan never even noticed. She rubbed it slowly, biting back the sob that threatened to rise.
She hated that she still missed him. Hated that she still loved him. Hated that part of her and still wished he would knock on her door and say, I'm sorry.
But he wouldn't. She knew that now.
And yet, the pain wouldn’t leave.
She leaned back again, this time fully letting her head rest against the smooth marble, her body melting into the water as she could disappear in it. Her breath came in quiet, heavy waves.
In that moment, surrounded by warmth and silence, Ava had never felt colder.
- Writer
