Chapter 319

Joseph's POV I left Ava's place knowing she needed friends but wouldn't call them herself. So I called Eleanor, explaining everything. I didn't even finish before she promised to gather the girls. But first, she tore into me like I haven't been torn into for years, calling me every kind of idiot imaginable. And she wasn't wrong. My fears, insecurities, and all the toxic bullshit my father represents had made me completely fall apart. Ava might never forgive me, but I had to keep trying. Not long after, Ryan, Nate, and Luke burst into my penthouse. They informed me the girls were having an overnight with Ava, who needed her friends, and they were here to support me and drag me back to reality. We talked. We drank. Heavily. The next morning, I dragged myself to the office just after ten, feeling like death warmed over. Julia took one look at my disheveled appearance and shook her head in resignation. My tie was crooked, jacket hanging limply from my arm, hair uncombed, and I was wearing