ars streaming down her face, begging for my ticket because her mother was supposedly dying
loe. He then offered me a glass of water, which, unbeknownst to me, was drugged. I
#AvaWalksTheDesert. They boasted about my family' s supposed bankruptcy and ordered me to apologize to Chloe. When I refused
on board screamed that I was losing too much blood, but Liam was unconcerned. Then, a
out for antivenom, but Chloe "accidentally" knocked the vial, shattering it. Liam, more concerned with
ction. Just as Liam' s bodyguards forced me to my kne
pte
flight was boarding in an hour. It was a last-minute booking on a budget airline, b
near the gate, a franti
va
assistant. Her face was streaked with tears,
e you doing her
grabbing my arm. H
e, you have
was choked
bad. I have to get home, but every fl
ling finger at the
et? I'll pay you back, I'll p
surd. This wasn't a bus pass; it wa
an't just give you my ticket.
e, but the whole si
ded, her voice getting louder. "P
lt theatrical. I p
or my anniversary with Liam. Find another way.
ed by a cold, hard glare I had never seen before.
turned and hurried aw
e in my mouth, but I pushed i
cted a hug from Liam. Instead, he stood in the liv
loe?" he asked, his vo
you talking about? She found me at the
a look of deep disapp
er stranded when her mother is on her deathbed.
t's ridiculous. I told her to rent a car o
touching his lips. It was the smile he always u
oney. You're alw
chen and came back w
nk this. Let's just forget about
his sudden change in tone was reassurin
ely. The last thing I remember was Liam's gent
was dry, and my head pounded. I wasn't i
lden brown under a blazing sun. There was nothing else. N
bove. I shielded my eyes and looked
side him, Chloe Miller sat with a smug smile, hol
ed by a megaphone, bo
veloped, Ava! Now let's see how yo
ruel sound that echoed a
out a livestream interface. A hashtag f
asting my suffer
ot to my feet, my legs shaky. I looked st
t, my voice raspy but clea
trength. They wanted a show. I woul