Ava's POV
After he left, l fell to the ground.
My knees hit the cold floor,but l didn't feel it .
All l could feel was the weight pressing down on my chest - sharp, heavy, unbearable.
What did l do to deserve this kind of punishment?
Had l wronged someone so badly in a past life that l had to pay of it now?
I didn't deserve this. I loved. I stayed. I believed.
And this is how love repaid me.
It felt like the earth l was collapsing beneath me,like l was screaming but no one could hear.
At the moment,there was only one person l thought of…. Edward.
Because when everything fell apart,he was still the only one my heart called home.
Maybe breaking up with him has been a mistake.
Maybe if l had stayed,none of this would've happened.
All l wanted now was to see him…to feel his arms around me again,to believe that somehow,we could fix this.
HOURS LATER
I sat Infront of Edward's gate, knees drawn close to my chest,eyes swollen from crying.
The night was quiet expect for the sound of my heartbeat and the tiny, foolish hope that he would come out and tell me everything was just a misunderstanding.
When l finally saw his car lights in the distance,my heart leapt.
I stood quickly, wiping my tears with trembling hands.
They was it, maybe he'd hold me again,maybe he'd tell me he still loved me.
He got out of the car and walked toward me,his face unreadable.
"What are you doing here?"he asked quietly,his voice low but firm.
Before l could stop myself,l ran into his arms. "I missed you so much",I whispered.
He didn't hug me back. He just stared at me like l was a stranger standing where someone else used to be.
When l tried to hug him again,he stepped back.
"Ava",he said softly but firmly, "you have to stop acting like this. You need to face reality. We're done. There won't be another 'us' I'm seeing someone else now".
His words hit me like a storm to the chest.
He said it so calmly. So easily. Like love was just a switch he could turn off.
"But l love you, Edward", I choked out,tears blurring my vision.
He reached up and held my face gently, painful gently…like he stii cared,but only out of pity.
And that even hurt more.
"Ava,please",he said quietly, "don't make this harder. I don't want my girlfriend to misunderstand".
My world cracked.
"Girlfriend?" I whispered. "But I'm your girlfriend".
I sounded desperate,and maybe l was.
I didn't care. Love makes fools of us all.
"Edward, please…we can fix this", I begged.
"It was just a mistake,right? I can forgive you….even if you cheated . We can pretend it never happened. We can start over".
He shook his head slowly. "Ava,no".
He stepped closer and pulled me into his arm. "You deserve better, okay? But l never saw a future with you. I'm sorry".
I froze. His words were knives. Every syllables carved a new wound .
"You were the best thing that ever happened to me", I whispered. " How can you say that?"
He didn't answer. He just stared blankly almost guiltily before saying, "I'm sorry l let you down".
He peeled my hands off his shirt and stepped away.
And then he walked back to his car.
I stood there broken.
The word felt distant,blurry…like l was underwater, drowing with my eyes open
Everything we built, everything l prayed for,ended with him walking away.
Wasn't good enough?
Didn't l love him enough?
Why her? Why my cousin?
My heart screamed, but no one heard.
I sank to the ground, sobbing until my throat burned. The night swallowed me whole.
Just when the tears slowed, a vibration cut through the silence.
My phone buzzed.
A message.
From the unknown number.
"Why did you go there when l told you not to?"
My heart stopped.
I threw the phone across the ground and screamed.
"What do you want from me?! Who are you ?!"
But there was no answer. Only the night and my own broken voice echoing back.
I dragged myself up and started walking.
It was late. The road was empty. I didn't care.
I just wanted to go home.
To bury myself in bed and disappear.
Hours later, I reached home.
I collapsed on the bed and cried until sleep finally pulled me under.
ZANE'S POV
I left her house with the taste of regret still burning in mouth.
I knew what l said would hurt her. I know she'd hate me of it.
And yet…I said it anyway.
She thinks I don't care that l wanted to hurt her.
But if only she know how wrong she was.
Everytime l look at her, something in me cracks.
She doesn't belong to that world of pain, betrayal,and lies but somehow, she's been dragged into it.
And I'm part of the reason why.
Maybe l should've stayed away from her.
Maybe I should've let her believe l was the villain she think I am.
But l can't.
Not when l when I know the truth.
Because what Ava doesn't know…is that everything that's breaking her heart…Edward,the messages,the lies all trace back to one person.
And that person is closer to her than she could ever imagine.