Chapter 3

Ethan' s blatant affection for Chloe became a daily spectacle.

Instagram posts, paparazzi shots, society pages – they were everywhere, the city' s new golden couple.

Ava watched it all with a carefully constructed mask of indifference.

She continued to live in Ethan' s apartment, to play the role of the understanding girlfriend, but inside, a rebellion was taking root.

She spent her days at the library, not looking for a new paralegal job, but researching LLM programs.

London. A prestigious university. A chance to build her own future, far away from Ethan and his world.

It was a long shot, but the thought of it, the possibility of escape, fueled her.

She kept her health diagnosis a secret, managing her symptoms with medication Liam, her best friend, had helped her get discreetly.

Liam. He was a doctor now, successful, kind, a world away from Ethan' s ruthless ambition.

He called her regularly, his voice a lifeline of sanity.

"Are you okay, Ava?" he'd ask, his concern genuine.

"I'm fine," she'd lie, not wanting to burden him, not yet ready to reveal the full extent of her humiliation.

One afternoon, as Ava was leaving a coffee shop, she ran into Chloe' s friend, Brittany Morgan.

Brittany was a caricature of a socialite, loud, entitled, and fiercely loyal to Chloe.

"Well, well, if it isn't Ethan's little charity case," Brittany sneered, blocking Ava's path.

Ava tried to walk past her. "Excuse me."

"Still hanging around?" Brittany' s voice was sharp. "Don't you get the picture? Ethan's with Chloe now. You're old news."

"My relationship with Ethan is none of your business," Ava said, trying to keep her voice steady.

Brittany laughed, a harsh, unpleasant sound. "Oh, it's my business when you're upsetting my best friend. Chloe doesn't like you lurking. Just disappear, will you?"

Ava stood her ground. "I'm not going anywhere until I'm ready."

Brittany' s smile vanished. She shoved Ava hard.

Ava stumbled back, her coffee spilling, her bag falling to the ground.

"Stay away from them," Brittany hissed, her face contorted with rage, before stalking off.

Ava' s hands trembled as she picked up her scattered belongings.

The physical assault was shocking, a stark escalation.

This wasn't just about Ethan anymore. Chloe and her friends saw her as an obstacle to be removed, violently if necessary.

That night, Ethan was late. When he finally arrived, he found Ava dabbing antiseptic on a scrape on her arm.

"What happened?" he asked, a flicker of concern in his eyes.

Ava told him about Brittany.

Ethan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Brittany can be... intense. Chloe says you were rude to her."

Ava stared at him, disbelief washing over her. "She assaulted me, Ethan."

"Ava, try to understand," he said, his tone placating. "Chloe is going through a lot. Her return has stirred things up. Just... try not to cause any trouble. For Chloe' s sake."

For Chloe' s sake. Not for hers.

Ava felt a coldness settle deep in her bones.

He was asking her to absorb the abuse, to protect his new relationship.

The seeds of rebellion, once small and hidden, began to sprout with a fierce, undeniable strength.