Love In Between

CHAPTER 56

Ava made her way through the crowd of people, her fake smile plastered on her face as she tried to navigate through the sea of congratulations. She couldn’t believe that Andrew had proposed to her in front of her entire staff and had even invited the media to cover the event live. She felt humiliated and embarrassed, but she knew she had to play along for the sake of appearances.

As she tried to make her escape, Andrew rushed over to stop her, his eyes filled with confusion and concern. “Ava, where are you going? Why are you leaving the party I organised for us?”

Ava forced a laugh and shrugged her shoulders, trying to play it off as if it were nothing. “I’m just a little tired, that’s all. I think I need to go home and rest.”

But Andrew wasn’t satisfied with her answer. He grabbed her arm and pulled her close, his voice low and insistent. “Come on, Ava. You can’t leave now. I’ve reserved a private lounge for us upstairs. We can spend the night together, just the two of us.”

Ava felt her stomach churn with disgust. She didn’t want to spend the night with Andrew, not now, not ever. She needed to get away from him as soon as possible.

She thought quickly, searching for an excuse to leave. “I’m sorry, Andrew, but I don’t feel well. I think I’m coming down with something.”

Andrew’s expression softened, and he reluctantly let her go. “Okay, I understand. I’ll have the driver take you home. But please, Ava, call me tomorrow. We need to talk about our future together.”Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

Ava nodded, grateful to finally be able to make her escape. She rushed to the car, her heart pounding in her chest as she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

When Ava got back home, she found Bruce asleep on the couch with Chloe straddled on his chest. She watched him for a moment, her heart heavy with guilt. She knew that saying yes to Andrew had broken his heart, but she didn’t know how to fix it.

She walked over to the couch and gently shook his shoulder. “Bruce, I’m home.”

Bruce’s eyes fluttered open, and he looked up at her, his expression confused. “Ava? What are you doing back so early? I thought you were at the party with Andrew.”

Ava swallowed hard, her hand instinctively going to the diamond ring on her finger. “I was, but I didn’t feel well, so I came home.”

Bruce sat up, his eyes fixed on the ring. “Ava, are you happy with your decision? Is this what you really want?”

Ava hesitated, her mind racing with conflicting emotions. She knew she should be happy, but all she felt was a deep sense of emptiness. She forced a smile and nodded, knowing that she couldn’t tell Bruce the truth. “Yes, I’m happy. I’m going to bed now, goodnight.”

Bruce watched her as she walked away, his heart heavy with sadness. He knew that Ava was lying to him, and it broke his heart. He didn’t know how to fix it, but he knew that he would do anything to make her happy, even if it meant letting her go.

Ava lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind a jumbled mess of emotions. She felt guilty for lying to Bruce and for breaking his heart, but she couldn’t bring herself to take the ring off.

Ava tossed and turned on her bed, her mind whirring with a million thoughts. She couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in her chest since the proposal. She knew deep down that she didn’t love Andrew the way he loved her. He was a great guy, successful, kind and thoughtful but he didn’t make her heart skip a beat. He didn’t make her feel alive the way Bruce did.

She closed her eyes, trying to push away the memories of Bruce but they came flooding back. The way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled, the way his voice dropped an octave when he whispered her name, the way his touch set her body on fire. He had hurt her so badly when he disappeared without a word, but she couldn’t help the love she still felt for him.

Ava let out a sigh, throwing her arm over her eyes. She knew she had to make a decision and soon. Andrew deserved to be with someone who loved him wholeheartedly and she couldn’t keep leading him on. But the thought of losing him forever made her heart ache. She didn’t know what the right decision was and it was tearing her apart.

She couldn’t shake off the feeling of regret and guilt as she thought about Bruce. She had seen the hurt in his eyes when she said yes to Andrew’s proposal, and it broke her heart to know she was the cause of his pain. She had tried to hide it, but the truth was, she was still in love with him. But she didn’t know if he still felt the same way about her.

Ava let out a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She knew she had to talk to Bruce, to try and clear the air between them. She couldn’t keep living in this state of uncertainty and confusion. She needed to know where they stood before she made any decisions.

She got out of bed, her mind made up. She would talk to Bruce in the morning, and no matter what the outcome, she would find a way to move on. She didn’t know how, but she would. She would find a way to let go of the past and start fresh. She just hoped it wasn’t too late.

Ava lay back down, feeling a sense of peace wash over her. She closed her eyes and for the first time that night, she felt like she could finally sleep. And with that thought, she drifted off into a peaceful slumber.