"Aveline, we’re so glad you've come to your senses! When are you coming back? Your dad and I will get everything ready for you."

I rubbed my eyes, which were red and swollen from crying.

"About a week. I need to wrap things up at my studio here."

My parents happily hung up.

Back at my apartment, I packed my essentials into a suitcase, deciding to toss everything else.

I would box up everything that belonged to Yates and send it back.

At midnight, I was drifting in a light sleep when a familiar pair of hands pinned my wrists above my head.

"Aveline, you didn't even come to my party!"

I opened my eyes to his handsome, all-too-familiar face.

My heart didn't flutter. I shoved him away forcefully, instinctively pulling my nightgown tighter around me.

"I wasn't feeling well. I had an allergic reaction to peanuts."

Yates pulled me onto his lap, his hand sliding up under the hem of my nightgown.

I was deeply uncomfortable and pressed down on his wandering hand, but it was useless.

"No, I'm tired."

"But Aveline, why am I always so insatiable with you? I just want you tonight…"

His flirtatious whispers were lost as he pressed urgent kisses against my neck.

A single question burned in my mind. For three years, every time he was with me, was he thinking of her? Was he picturing Cora?

"If that's the case, will you stay the night?"

He stilled, looking at me with an uneasy expression.

"But I have a board meeting early tomorrow morning. Aveline, you wouldn't want me to be exhausted, would you?"

Really?

Or was it because he had to be ready to run the second his precious Cora called?

My heart sank. I pushed him off me and curled back under the covers.

"Then you should leave."

I squeezed my eyes shut, holding back the tears that burned behind them.

Yates leaned down, wrapping his arms around me.

"Aveline, are you angry? Tonight I…"

He was interrupted by a delicate, classical ringtone—a custom ringtone I’d never heard him use for anyone else.

He immediately grabbed his phone and strode out of my room.

"Yes, okay. Don't panic, I'll be right there."

I heard the soft, comforting tone he used for whoever was crying on the other end of the line.

"Aveline, Cora is having a sudden anxiety attack. I have to go now. Take care of yourself."

I waited until I heard the apartment door slam shut. Then the dam broke, and sobs wracked my body.

A custom ringtone. On call, 24/7. It wasn't that he was thoughtless. It was that every single one of his thoughts was reserved for her.

In a daze, I cried myself to sleep.

When I woke up, I found it hard to breathe, my allergic reaction having worsened unexpectedly.

I tried to make my way downstairs but stumbled, tumbling down the stairs and severely spraining my ankle.

"Aveline! What happened? Come on, I'll take you to the ER!"

When Yates let himself in with his key, he found me in a miserable heap on the floor. Alarm widened his eyes as he scooped me into his arms and rushed me to his car.

I endured the radiating pain, tears of agony streaming down my face.

"It hurts."

"Hang in there, we'll be at the hospital soon!"

Yates comforted me softly, but just then, Cora's exclusive ringtone rang again.

A choked sob came through the phone. "Yates, I just need someone with me…"

"What? Stay right there, don't move. I'm coming right now!"

Yates panicked, but after glancing at my form in the back seat, he pursed his lips and parked the car in front of a community clinic.

"Aveline, you go in and get checked out. The doctor will help you. Cora's situation is urgent."

With that, he roughly helped me, breathless and with a throbbing ankle, out of the car, then sped off without a second glance.

Fortunately, a kind nurse was passing by. Seeing I was about to collapse, she rushed me into the emergency room.

The doctor treated my injuries immediately. The process of setting my ankle was excruciating. I bit down hard on my lower lip, refusing to make a sound.

Noticing my pale face, the nurse gently suggested, "Miss Prescott, you'll have a hard time getting around on that ankle. Why don't you call your family or your boyfriend to come get you?"

I shook my head.

"I'm alone."

"Aveline, what are you doing here?"

After my treatment, I found Yates waiting. He looked at me in surprise, his gaze flickering guiltily to my heavily bandaged ankle before darting away.

"I'm sorry, I was in a hurry just now. She's settled now. Let me stay with you!"

He crouched in front of me, gently cradling my injured ankle.

I shook my head.

"Don't bother. Go take care of your priority."

Yates was about to say something else when Cora Vaughn appeared in the doorway of the treatment room.

"Yates, what are you doing here?"

Yates immediately shot to his feet, moving to her side and speaking in a gentle voice.

"Cora, why did you come here by yourself?"

Cora gazed up at him, her expression a mask of vulnerability.

"I didn't see you, so I got scared. Oh, is this your friend?"

I looked up at Yates, waiting.

He severed the ties between us without a moment's hesitation.

"No, she's my friend Emmett's sister. You've met her."

I felt something inside my chest splinter into a million pieces.

He had cast aside our three years together without a second thought, all to protect this secret from his childhood sweetheart.

Yates didn't dare to meet my eyes, but his gaze darted nervously toward me as if I might detonate. He took Cora's hand, intending to leave.

"Cora, you've just calmed down. I'll take you home."

A bitter taste filled my mouth, but I forced my voice to be steady.

"Yes, I'm Aveline Prescott. My brother Emmett and Yates's brother, Ronan, are best friends."

Cora's smile grew brighter, and she gave Yates a coquettish look.

"Yates worries about me too much. I just got back from Europe and don't have many friends here. Aveline, if you don't mind, you could come to my welcome party."

As I was about to refuse, Cora tugged on Yates's arm, whining.

"Yates, I want Aveline to come!"

"Okay, she'll come."

Without asking for my opinion, Yates made the decision for me.

I looked at them, a hollow smile on my face.

To satisfy the girl he loved, he had already forgotten my injured ankle.

"I don't think I'll go."

Cora pouted.

"Yates, does Aveline hate me?"

Yates frowned, then turned and pulled me roughly to my feet.

"Aveline, don't be a spoilsport."

I choked, the words dying in my throat.