"Maybe I said it to hurt her, but a part of me meant every word."
— Ava Carter Reed
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Ava's Point of View
I left my family house by mid-afternoon, the soft ache of unanswered questions sitting heavy in my chest. My father still hadn't returned, and though I'd come home looking for answers, all I carried back with me was silence and a headache.
The cab ride back to the city was quiet, the hum of the tires beneath me the only sound. Outside, clouds had begun to gather—the kind that promised evening rain. By the time I arrived at Reed Empire, I'd managed to tuck my frustration behind a professional smile.
I stood before the elevator, tapping the folder in my hand lightly against my thigh. The floor buzzed with its usual chaos—phones ringing, heels clicking—but then something shifted.
Whispers. Soft greetings. Nervous laughter.
The air changed as employees began to step aside, making way for someone.
Asher.
