Chapter 89: Too late?
Lola turned to Ava with her mouth agape, her surprise palpable. "Art exhibition? Seriously? Since when did you start caring about art?"
She had never seen Ava attend such events before.
Ava smiled. "Honestly, I’ve never gone to one before. But I want to explore new things. And, well... Nicholas invited me to this one. I’m actually pretty excited about it." She beamed.
"Well, well...Nicholas, huh?" Lola’s surprise turned into a knowing smirk, a mischievous glint in her eye. "So that’s why you just told Dylan that little white lie!"
Ava’s smile faltered slightly, a shadow crossing her expression. "Even if Nicholas hadn’t invited me, I still wouldn’t have gone with Dylan. I’d have found another reason to turn him down," she replied firmly.
Lola reached out and gave Ava’s hand a gentle squeeze. "I get it. Well, I hope you have a wonderful time tomorrow. Good luck." She offered Ava a warm, supportive smile.
"Thanks, Lola." Ava’s smile returned.
"But what happened today was beyond surprising." Lola’s mind drifted back to the scene at the shop, her brows knitting together as she shook her head in disbelief. "I still can’t get over what happened back there. I never thought he’d actually go out of his way like that—buying you an entire shop? He is obviously making an effort."
Ava glanced out the window, her thoughts clouded. She was just as bewildered as Lola but refused to let herself believe in his intentions. Despite the grand gestures, his efforts felt hollow compared to the scars he had left behind.