Ava Burgess POV:

I gazed out the window of my office, not seeing the bustling city below, but a memory. A self-deprecating smile touched my lips, thin and bitter. I remembered the way Bryant used to look at me, with that same unwavering intensity.

He had pursued me for what felt like an eternity back in college. For years, he was a constant presence, a shadow I couldn' t shake.

"Why me?" I'd asked him one day, genuinely puzzled. His response had been immediate, accompanied by that goofy, endearing grin that used to melt my resolve.

"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, Ava Burgess."

I never liked foolish men, but his sincerity, his sheer persistence, had worn down my resistance. I hadn't made it easy for him, not by a long shot. I knew my worth, even then.

But he didn't care. He waited. Patiently.

Rain or shine, he'd be at my dorm with breakfast, a hot coffee in one hand, a perfectly toasted bagel in the other. He knew my cycle, the exact dates, better than I did. Before I even felt the first cramp, he' d have a mug of ginger tea and a painkiller waiting for me.

I once glanced at an antique silver locket in a shop window. Just a fleeting look. Days later, he presented it to me, having worked extra shifts at two different part-time jobs to afford it.

When I was upset, even a slight frown would send him into a frenzy. He' d rack his brain, telling the most ridiculous jokes until a reluctant smile finally broke through my defenses.

He' d notice the smallest things. A slight furrow in my brow, a flicker of worry in my eyes. "Is everything okay, Ava? Are you feeling unwell?" he'd ask, his voice laced with genuine concern. His love, back then, felt like a warm, protective blanket, shielding me from the harsh realities of the world. It felt real. It felt like everything.

Ava Burgess POV:

But in the end, nothing could compare to a first love, to the one who truly held a man's heart. Nothing.

Two months ago, Kiley Haynes, Bryant's childhood sweetheart, walked into my life. She appeared out of nowhere, a ghost from his past, and the moment I saw them together, I felt a tremor of unease. There was an intimacy between them, a lack of boundaries that sent a chill down my spine.

I tried to dismiss it, telling myself it was just harmless history. I figured she'd stay a few days, catch up, and then disappear back to wherever she came from.

I was wrong.

Kiley became Bryant's personal assistant. Just like that. A quick, unexpected shift that cemented her presence in our lives. She was everywhere, a constant fixture in our home and his office. My unease grew into a gnawing worry.

"Why Kiley?" I asked Bryant, trying to keep my voice light, innocent.

He just shrugged, already defensive. "The company needed extra hands, Ava. And it's easier to hire someone I already know, someone I can trust."

After that, his business trips became more frequent, his "late nights at the office" stretched into endless hours. Soon, he wasn't coming home at all, claiming crucial projects, tight deadlines. His absence became a gaping wound in our marriage.

Two days ago, unable to bear the gnawing doubt, I logged into HR' s attendance records. The truth hit me like a physical blow. Bryant and Kiley had been inseparable for weeks. Every business trip, every "late-night meeting," they were together.

The expense reports for their out-of-town trips showed a single executive suite, not two separate rooms. It screamed of shared nights, of a betrayal so blatant it made my stomach churn. The "overtime" was even more damning. Their names were consistently logged in and out at the same absurd hours.

I found myself back at the office, a hollow ache in my chest. I walked towards Bryant's door, the damning evidence heavy in my mind. As I approached, the door creaked open slightly. I saw Kiley rise from Bryant's desk, her back to me.

Ava Burgess POV:

Kiley turned, a dazzling, almost predatory smile on her face. "Ava! You look terrible. Did you and Bryant have another fight?" Her voice was laced with saccharine concern, but her eyes, bright and cold, betrayed the malice.

I had no fight left in me. I said nothing, just tried to walk past her, desperate to escape the suffocating air she brought into the room.

"Ava!" she called, her voice sharp. I stopped, my shoulders tensing.

"You're not a child anymore," she said, her tone dripping with mock pity. "Don't you think it's time to stop these childish games? Bryant is under immense pressure right now. The city council funding approval is hanging by a thread."

She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "He's carrying a huge burden, Ava. And you're not exactly helping him, are you? In fact, you're just distracting him at a critical time."

My eyebrows furrowed. I looked at her, my expression blank, carefully constructed to betray nothing.

"I am a co-founder of this company," I stated, my voice low and even. "And if Bryant can bring you in, I can certainly send you packing." The words were out before I could truly consider the consequences.

Kiley' s smile vanished. Her face froze, a mask of shock, then crumpled. Tears welled in her eyes, a performance so seamless it almost convinced me.

"I just wanted to help," she whimpered, her voice cracking. She dabbed at her eyes, a picture of fragile innocence. "Why would you threaten to fire me?"