Ava’s eyes widened, and for a mont, she couldn’t process what she was hearing. She glanced from Aurora to Mia, trying to piece it together, but it wasn’t computing.
"You... you own this mall?" Ava asked, voice strained, clearly trying to wrap her mind around it.
Aurora, having had enough of this conversation, snapped her fingers and pointed toward one of the nearby shops, her voice taking on a sharper edge.
"If you don’t believe , why don’t you ask the shopkeepers? They’ll tell you the sa thing."
Ava, still reeling, whipped her head around and shot a look at the black-haired woman standing beside her.
"Go ask one of the shops, right now," she demanded.
The black-haired woman, who looked eerily similar to Mia with her long, dark hair and pale skin, nodded without hesitation.
She moved toward one of the shops at the back of the mall, her footsteps quick and purposeful.
A few monts later, she returned, her expression unreadable but tinged with unease. She nodded at Ava, confirming what she’d learned.
"She’s right, Ava. Aurora is the owner. I asked the saleswoman in the shop, and she confird it."
Ava’s face drained of color. The disbelief on her face was replaced by a mix of shock and embarrassnt, her shoulders slumping.
She had no words for it. The world she thought she knew seed to be crumbling at her feet.
Aurora led Mia a few steps away, her voice light as she spoke.
"Well, Ava, you can go ahead and sell your self-respect however you want. You’ve got nothing left here."
Ava remained silent, staring after them, her expression defeated. There was nothing more she could say, and nothing left for her to fight for.
She was broken, the weight of her actions finally catching up to her. Mia was gone, and she couldn’t get her back.
The black-haired woman, who had been standing awkwardly to the side, tugged at Ava’s sleeve gently.
"Ava," she said softly, her voice hesitant, "are you okay? Maybe—"
Ava spun around, her face twisting with frustration and hurt.
"Don’t follow ," she snapped, her tone sharp, dismissing the woman. She shoved her arm away, looking almost angry. "Just leave alone."
Mia and Aurora kept walking, hand in hand, their footsteps echoing faintly through the hall. It was as if the drama had never happened, as if everything had fallen into place.
Neither of them spoke at first; they didn’t need to.
Aurora’s presence was enough to make Mia feel safe, and Mia’s silence was enough to let Aurora know that she didn’t need any more explanations.
Aurora glanced over at her, the corner of her mouth twitching into a smile.
Aurora smiled softly as she pulled her hand away from Mia’s waist, glancing at her with a playful glint in her eyes.
"So, baby," she asked, her voice light and teasing. "Are you ready to go on our date now?"
Mia let out a soft chuckle, her lips curving into a small, affectionate smile. She shook her head, her eyes soft with amusent.
"You’re truly childish sotis, you know that? And that lying streak? First, you lied in front of that mother and daughter duo, now you lied that you are dating . Don’t you feel guilty?"
"Nah." Aurora shook her head proudly.
Mia shook her head, her smile widening. "Unbelievable," she muttered, though the warmth in her voice was clear. "Don’t you want to know what happened between and Ava? I an, you’ve been pretty curious, haven’t you?"
Aurora’s eyes softened, though a hint of curiosity flickered in her gaze.
"Of course, I’m curious," she admitted. "But honestly, I’m not going to push you. I’m sure my best friend will tell everything when she’s ready."
Mia t her eyes for a mont before letting out a sigh, her fingers fidgeting with the sleeve of her jacket.
"Well, here’s the short version," she began, her voice quieter now, more thoughtful.
"Ava and I were together for about two months, five months ago. And honestly? She was one of the most beautiful, kind-hearted people I’ve ever t. She truly made feel cared for, even though we never had a physical relationship. She always looked out for ... like no one else had done before."
Mia paused, her gaze distant for a mont.
"She was the only one, besides my parents, who gave comfort when I was going through tough tis."
Aurora listened carefully, her expression softening as Mia spoke, understanding the gravity of her words. But Mia continued, her voice growing quieter.
"But over ti... I noticed sothing changing. She started getting frustrated with money, with things that didn’t seem important to . Then, not long after we started dating, this woman nad Gia ca into the picture.
Gia told Ava she’d give her ten thousand dollars... if she slept with her. At first, Ava refused. But then, sothing shifted. She started asking if we could explore another type of relationship, even proposing a threeso."
Aurora’s expression darkened slightly, though she didn’t interrupt. She let Mia continue.
"I told her no," Mia said, her voice firm. "I told her I didn’t want that kind of relationship. I didn’t want to share her with anyone else. And for a while, Ava agreed. But one day, I walked in on her and Gia... together."
Mia’s voice caught for a brief second, but she shook her head and pressed on.
"That was it. I broke it off right then. I couldn’t be with soone who would betray like that."
Mia let out a bitter chuckle, the sound hollow as it escaped her lips.
"I guess no one really loves , huh? I’m done. I was ready to give up on love altogether."
Aurora, on the other hand, had a different perspective.
Ava genuinely loved Mia, to the point that she still hasn’t forgotten about Mia and wants to desperately get together with Mia.
There was also a hint of regret in her eyes, which she had tried to cover up.
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