Chapter 15
1406 Words
CHAPTER 15
The first thing Ava noticed when she woke up was that she was smiling.
She frowned at herself.
"Seriously?"
Mochi, who had somehow claimed half her pillow during the night, stretched lazily before jumping onto her stomach.
"Meow!"
"You've gotten heavier."
The cat answered by rubbing against her chin.
She scratched behind his ears before staring at the ceiling.
Yesterday had been... nice.
Not magical.
Not life-changing.
Just...
Nice.
No pressure.
No pretending to be someone she wasn't.
Nathan had listened whenever she spoke.
She still couldn't believe he remembered her favourite coffee.
Or that he'd known she always ordered cheesecake.
She pulled the blanket over her face.
"This is bad."
Her phone buzzed.
Without looking, she already knew who it was.
Chloe
"Well...?"
Ava smiled despite herself.
Ava: I survived.
Three dots appeared instantly.
Chloe: That's not what I asked.
Ava: We had coffee.
Chloe: Mm-hmm.
Ava: Alex crashed it.
Chloe: 😂😂😂
Ava: He told the whole café we were on a date.
A few seconds later...
Chloe: Smart kid.
Ava groaned.
Ava: Even Nathan's mom laughed.
Chloe: Wait...
You met the MOM?!
Ava blinked.
She hadn't thought about it like that.
It really had happened.
Ava: It wasn't planned.
Chloe: Girl...
You're meeting the son.
The mother.
The father.
What's next?
The family dog?
Ava laughed so loudly that Mochi looked offended.
"There isn't a dog."
Her phone buzzed again.
Chloe: Don't overthink it.
Just enjoy yourself.
For once.
Ava looked at the message for a long time.
For once.
Maybe Chloe was right.
She had spent three years trying to become enough for someone who never appreciated her.
Maybe it was okay to simply enjoy someone's company.
Without guilt.
Without fear.
Without wondering if she was asking for too much.
She got dressed, fed Mochi, grabbed her bag, and headed downstairs.
The moment she stepped outside...
She stopped walking.
Someone was standing beside the apartment entrance.
"Ethan?"
He turned immediately.
His eyes lit up the moment he saw her.
For a second...
She remembered the old Ethan.
The one who used to smile at her across university hallways.
The one who used to make her laugh until her stomach hurt.
But that version of him felt very far away now.
He was holding a bouquet of white lilies.
Her favourite flowers.
Or...
The flowers Nathan had taught him were her favourite.
She wasn't even sure anymore.
"I've been waiting," Ethan said quietly.
She glanced at her watch.
"How long?"
"Since seven."
"You've been standing here for almost two hours?"
"I wanted to see you."
Ava sighed softly.
"You could've called."
"I didn't think you'd answer."
"I wouldn't have."
He gave a sad smile.
"I know."
The silence between them stretched awkwardly.
Finally, he held out the bouquet.
"These are for you."
Ava looked at them.
White lilies.
Fresh.
Beautiful.
Months ago, they would have melted her heart.
Today...
They were simply flowers.
"You don't have to do this."
"I wanted to."
She looked at him carefully.
"You've never bought me lilies before."
"I know."
"You bought roses."
"I thought girls liked roses."
"I don't."
"I know."
"No."
She shook her head gently.
"You know now."
His shoulders dropped.
He understood exactly what she meant.
After three years together...
He had only started paying attention after losing her.
"I've made so many mistakes."
Ava didn't answer.
"I keep replaying that day."
"The day you cheated?"
He closed his eyes.
"Every day."
She folded her arms.
"I wish I could stop."
"So do I."
He looked at her desperately.
"Ava... Erica meant nothing."
"I know."
His brows knitted together.
"You... know?"
"I've always known."
"You did?"
She nodded.
"That's what hurts the most."
He frowned.
"I don't understand."
"If you'd fallen in love with someone else..."
She searched for the right words.
"I would've hated it."
"But eventually, I'd have understood."
His expression slowly crumbled.
"You didn't betray me because you loved Erica."
"No."
"You betrayed me because you thought I'd stay anyway."
Silence.
She watched his face carefully.
Because for the first time...
He couldn't deny it.
He had taken her love for granted.
"You always forgave me," he whispered.
"I know."
"I thought..."
He stopped talking.
"What?"
"...that you always would."
Ava smiled sadly.
"And that's exactly why we're here."
He looked down at the flowers in his hands.
"I've changed."
She didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she asked quietly,
"Have you?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"I..."
He hesitated.
"I realized how much I love you."
She shook her head.
"No."
"What?"
"You realized how much you miss me."
His lips parted.
"There is a difference."
He stared at her.
"When someone loves you..."
Ava continued calmly.
"They don't only notice your value after someone else starts appreciating you."
His face paled.
"You've seen Nathan."
It wasn't a question.
She didn't answer.
"You went out with him."
"We had coffee."
His jaw tightened.
"So it was a date."
"It was coffee."
"He likes you."
"I know."
"And you like him."
She looked away.
"I don't know what I feel yet."
Those words somehow hurt Ethan even more.
Because they meant Nathan actually had a chance.
"Ava..."
He stepped closer.
"I'll do better."
"I'll remember everything."
"I'll buy lilies, I'll make time, I'll..."
She interrupted him gently.
"Ethan."
He stopped.
"I begged you for those things."
His heart sank.
"I asked you to have dinner with me."
Silence.
"You cancelled because of a party."
He remembered.
"I asked you to come to my exhibition."
His throat tightened.
"You sent flowers instead."
He remembered that too.
"I wanted you."
Her voice cracked just slightly.
"Not your gifts."
He lowered his head.
"I know."
"I wanted your attention."
"I know."
"I wanted your time."
"I know."
"I wanted you to ask me how my day was."
He closed his eyes.
"I know."
"But you never did."
A tear escaped his eye.
"I was stupid."
"You were selfish."
He nodded.
"I was."
Ava took a slow breath.
"You didn't lose me the day I walked away."
He looked up.
"You lost me the day you looked at me after cheating..."
She swallowed.
"...and acted like I was the inconvenience."
His breathing stopped.
Those words hit harder than any slap could have.
Because they were true.
He remembered exactly what he'd said.
"You should've knocked."
Not...
"I'm sorry."
Not...
"Please forgive me."
Just...
"You should've knocked."
"I hate myself for that."
"You should."
He flinched.
"But hating yourself doesn't heal me."
She looked at him quietly.
"I forgive you."
Hope flashed across his face.
Then she continued.
"But forgiveness doesn't mean I want you back."
His smile disappeared.
"I don't wake up wondering if you'll text anymore."
"I don't cry myself to sleep anymore."
"I don't wait for your calls."
She smiled softly.
"And that's how I know I'm healing."
The elevator doors opened behind her.
She stepped inside.
"Ethan."
He looked up one last time.
"I hope one day you become the man I needed."
A painful silence followed.
"But..."
The doors began closing.
"...I hope you become him for someone else."
The doors shut.
Leaving Ethan standing alone.
Still holding flowers.
Still watching the place where she'd disappeared.
---
Across the street...
A black SUV remained parked beneath the shade of a tree.
Nathan sat behind the wheel.
He had seen Ethan arrive almost two hours earlier.
Dante glanced toward the apartment building.
"You could've stopped him."
Nathan kept his eyes on the entrance.
"No."
"What if he'd upset her?"
Nathan's voice remained calm.
"Ava isn't the same woman she was a month ago."
A few seconds later, the apartment doors opened.
Ava walked out.
Her head was high.
Her steps were steady.
No tears.
No hesitation.
Nathan watched as she crossed the street toward her studio without looking back once.
A faint smile touched his lips.
"She chose herself."
Dante nodded.
"You look proud."
"I am."
"You're not going after her?"
Nathan started the engine.
"She doesn't need saving today."
The SUV pulled away quietly.
Neither Ava nor Ethan ever noticed he had been there.
Nathan had made a choice.
If Ava was going to stand beside him one day...
It wouldn't be because he rescued her every time life became difficult.
It would be because she became strong enough to choose him herself.
And somehow...
Watching her walk away from the man who had once been her whole world made Nathan admire her even more.
- Writer
