Chapter 85: I’m not taking him back.
Ava ended the call, lowering her phone just as she felt strong arms slide around her from behind. Startled, she tensed and nearly dropped her phone. His embrace felt warm and familiar, yet now it only ignited a bittersweet ache within her.
He nestled his head against her shoulder, inhaling deeply. "Who were you talking to?" he murmured, his lips grazing her ear as he breathed in the faint lavender scent clinging to her skin.
Her reaction was swift and sharp. Ava twisted away, breaking free from his hold. "I don’t owe you an answer," she shot back, her eyes flashing with irritation. "I’ll speak with whomever I choose—you don’t get to ask."
Dylan’s face registered a brief flicker of hurt, caught off guard by her sharp words. "Ava, I was just asking... nothing more. I wasn’t prying."
Looking at his befuddled expression, Ava realized she had overreacted. She shouldn’t have yelled at him. She turned aside, refusing to show the hint of remorse tugging at her heart.
"Keep your distance," she replied icily. "I’m not comfortable with this." Without waiting for his response, she stormed into the closet.
Dylan stood frozen, watching Ava’s retreating form with a sinking heart. The silence around him felt heavy, echoing with memories of countless times he had walked away from her in the past, coldly disregarding her efforts to reach him.
His gaze dropped, and a pang of regret tightened in his chest. Seeing Ava’s cold rejection, he could finally grasp just how deeply his own actions must have wounded her. It was like looking into a mirror reflecting all the careless ways he had hurt her. If he had known it was going to hurt this much, he would have chosen his actions differently.
’I know it’s tough, but I won’t give up,’ he thought, his resolve hardening.
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When Dylan arrived at his office, he called Justin immediately. Justin appeared promptly, ready to carry out his commands.