Ava sat on a bench outside the busy streets of New York, a small book in her hands. The sun was warm on her face but she stopped reading when a shadow fell across her page. Adam.
He grinned that usual annoying grin. Of course he's here to disturb me again, she thought.
"What did I ever do to deserve this constant torment?" she said, closing the book with a laugh.
"I came with something important," Adam said, sounding fake-serious. "To ask for your hand in marriage."
Ava raised her brows, eyes shining with amusement. "Please. I don't do broke guys."
Adam smirked. "Do you even know who I am? Adam Manchester, CEO ...."
"Yes yes," she cut in, waving him off. "I've heard that speech too many times."
He leaned closer, smiling. "So what do you say?"
"Still no," she said and burst out laughing.
Adam clutched his chest dramatically and fell on the bench like his heart just broke. Ava nudged him. "Get up, stop embarrassing me. My friends are already jealous that you are my friend."
"Your friends know I'm hot," he shot back.
"Keep dreaming," she said, rolling her eyes as laughter spilled out of both of them, mixing with the sound of the city.
Then—darkness. Ava's eyes snapped open. Tears wets her face. She'd missed the time they spent together. The laughter, the love; it all stung now. She pressed her palms to her eyes, sobs shaking her. She once believed they'd last forever. But forever was gone.
Someone else had taken his heart. Dawn.
The thought burned. Adam's eyes didn't shine for her anymore. His warmth, his touch, his love; everything was for Dawn now.
Ava clenched her fists. No. She wasn't letting go. Not after everything. Adam was hers, and she'd get him back no matter what it took.
* * * * * *
Dawn knocked on Adam's door again and again, but no sound came. Her heart felt heavy as stone. She went downstairs, saw Daphne crying on the couch, and sat beside her confused. Why had Adam said those things? She'd changed her mind, she didn't want to divorce him anymore. So why was he shutting her out?
Daphne pulled her close, whispering something soft, but then heavy footsteps came from the stairs. Adam.
Dawn jumped up, wiped her face, and met him halfway.
"What did I do wrong? I didn't even ask for a divorce," she said, voice shaking.
Adam looked straight at her—cold, distant. "You haven't asked yet," he said. "But you will. Won't you?"
Her breath caught. He must have heard what she said earlier to Alex and the twins.
"Ava's my wife," he said, voice sharp. "And so are you. I'll treat both of you equal. There's no need for one of you to fight while the other hides."
He turned away but she snapped, "Fine then. I'll come to my husband's house."
He stopped. Looked back.
"I never stopped you," he said quietly. "You stayed away because you didn't want Ava to find out. You knew she wasn't ready for the truth."
Her eyes glistened. "It wasn't about her. I just didn't want you torn apart between us. I thought staying back was better than watching you break."
Adam's tone softened, finally meeting her eyes. "I'm okay, Dawn. I need you beside me, not somewhere else carrying all this alone."
She nodded slowly. The space between them melted away. Upstairs, unseen, Ava stood at the rail, her eyes burning with rage.
* * * * * *
When Dawn moved into the Manchester house, things seemed almost peaceful. Ava was walking again, smiling, apologizing like nothing ever happened. She even told Dawn and Adam she'd changed.
One morning, Ava showed up with yam porridge just as Adam was fixing his tie.
"Thought you might be hungry," she said, that soft voice of hers sliding like honey.
"Thanks," Adam said, taking a bite and smiling.
Dawn walked in right after with a tray of fruit and water.
"You two should eat with me," Adam said lightly.
"Maybe later," Ava said.
"Same," Dawn added.
He shrugged, kissed both on the cheek, and left for work. The two women cleared the table in silence.
Ava sat on the couch with a book open in her hands, but her eyes hadn't moved past the same line in minutes. Her thoughts kept circling back to Adam. How distant he'd been, how uncertain she felt about where she still stood in his heart. The longer she sat there, the heavier the worry grew. She needed to act, and fast.
Hours later, the door opened. Adam walked in, his face lit with a rare, easy smile. He greeted both women, his tone warm, light. Dawn quickly excused herself and slipped into the kitchen to get his food, leaving Ava watching him, her fingers tightening slightly around the book.
He took one bite and coughed.
"You don't like it?" she asked, worried.
"No no, it's fine," he said quickly. "Just… a little too hot."
She frowned, tasted it—and spat it out. "It's salty! I swear I didn't add that much."
Adam waved it off, saying he wasn't hungry. But then Ava came in with her own dish. Adam tasted hers and smiled.
Dawn stood there, heart twisting. She forced a smile, muttered something about being tired, and left. Inside, she was wondering—did Ava mess with her food? Or maybe her siblings did, playing one of their pranks again? She couldn't tell.
That night, Adam came to her room and knocked softly.
"Hey," he said, leaning on the doorframe.
"Sorry about earlier," Dawn murmured. "That was kinda embarrassing."
"What was? That? Come on, everyone oversalts sometimes."
She gave a weak smile. "I'm lucky to have you." Then she added with a small grin, "Though honestly, you're the lucky one."
Adam laughed. "Handsome, rich, caring? Yeah, you are lucky indeed."
She threw a pillow at him and for a second, it felt normal again.
* * * * * *
Downstairs, Ava sat with Jason and Leslie, her laughter floating through the house. Daphne showed up, smiling.
"Oh, I hope I'm not interrupting," she said.
"Not at all," Jason said. Leslie rolled her eyes, "Unlike Jason, who ruins everything."
They all laughed. Ava leaned forward, a soft look in her eyes. "You two are lucky. I wish I had siblings like that."
Jason and Leslie shared a quick look. "Well, you do now," Leslie said warmly.
Daphne smiled sweetly. "Where are Adam and Dawn?"
Then her tone changed slightly, teasing but sharp. "She stole Adam from me, you know."
The room went quiet until Ava smiled again. "Kidding!" she said, and everyone laughed though Daphne didn't look convinced.
* * * * * *
Ava invited them out for a fun day; pizzeria, boutiques, all the places they used to go with Dawn. She slipped right into their bond like she belonged there.
That night, Dawn came home and saw them all laughing in the living room.
"It's late," she said sharply. "You all should be in bed."
"Come on, Dawn, they're grown," Ava said with that lazy smirk.
"Yeah," Leslie added, giggling, "You treat us like we're ten."
"Enough," Dawn snapped. "Go to bed."
They went, grumbling but still laughing.
"I'm sorry," Ava said softly once they left. "Didn't mean to keep them up."
"Yeah, well, they knew better," Dawn replied coldly. "Goodnight, Ava."
She left, head high but shoulders stiff.
Ava sat back on the couch, a slow smile curling her lips. The game had only just started.