Chapter 9

Ava was caught off guard and thrown to the ground. Anger and bitterness flared in her eyes instantly. She had tried everything, and yet Ethan still refused to even spare her a glance! She glared, slowly pushing herself up off the floor, headed inside, and stopped the man still smugly counting his gains. "Take the money. Don't ever show your face again." The man took the cash, clicked his tongue, and left without another word. Ava stared coldly at Lila, who was curled up on the floor, gasping in pain. The longer she looked, the deeper her hatred burned. Suddenly, she stomped down hard on Lila’s wrist. "This is all your fault! I ended up wandering out there for so long because of you! It's all you! Even the person I love—I can't have because of you! You deserve this, Lila!" Still not satisfied, she kicked Lila hard in the side before turning around and walking coldly back into her room. The next morning, Lila woke up with a dry mouth and zero memory of what had happened. Why was she here? What happened last night? Her whole body tensed up. “You’re awake?” Ava’s voice broke the silence. “You were exhausted last night. After I left, you passed out. I didn’t want to disturb you.” Lila let out a breath, her shoulders slumping slightly. So… last night must’ve just been a nightmare. But still… “Did Ethan come by?” “…No, he didn’t.” Ava hesitated, sighing, her expression a little off. Lila gave a hollow, shaky smile. She bit her lip so hard it hurt—just enough to keep herself from falling apart completely. He didn’t even give her a chance to explain... “Lila,” Ava said after a pause, “I might as well tell you. That guy in the photo came by yesterday. You were out cold, so I didn’t wake you. He said…” “What did he say?” “He said it was Ethan who told him to do it. The photos getting out? That was an accident. But… the real reason was that Ethan wanted out—he used this as a way to end the engagement.” “What…” Lila’s eyes went wide. A loud, static buzz filled her ears. Her whole body felt like it had been scalded, the pain crashing through her chest like a tidal wave, spreading into every nerve. He did all this just to break up with her? Now it all made sense—why he didn’t come last night, why he was hell-bent on making her get rid of the baby. So this… this was his plan all along. “Lila, don’t worry. No matter what happens, I’ve got your back,” Ava said as she patted Lila’s shoulder. But her smile was anything but kind. Nighttime. Skin Bar. “If you keep chugging like that, you’ll end up in the ER.” Lucas watched Ethan with a helpless sigh as the man gulped down one shot after another of strong liquor. “My life?” Ethan scoffed, bitter and broken. “Heh. What the hell am I even living for right now?” Lucas froze. He had known Ethan for years, but had never seen him like this—like the life had been sucked out of him. The same man who’d been so serious about planning a proposal not long ago, even humbling himself to ask professionals for advice, just to make Lila cry happy tears. But before he could even pop the question, those photos came out. Of Lila, with another guy. In a magazine. Like a slap across the face. In front of everyone. Brutal and humiliating. “I gave her chances. I wanted to trust her,” Ethan said, his voice thick. “I kept telling myself—maybe there's more to it, maybe it’s not what it looks like. But what did she give me in return, huh? She stabbed me straight in the heart, man!” Lucas felt an ache in his nose, just as he was about to say something to comfort him— But then he saw someone unexpected walk into the bar.