My Husband is My Father

I was going to propose to my boyfriend tonight.

Not the other way around. I know. But we had been together for three years, and I was tired of waiting.

I stood in the middle of Jason's birthday party with a little velvet box in my purse. Inside was a watch I spent three months of my salary on. The back was engraved.

To J, My Forever.

Stupid. I know that now.

The Sterling mansion was too loud. Too bright. Champagne everywhere, people in dresses that cost more than my rent. I kept looking for Jason.

I found him by the pool.

He wasn't alone.

Sophie had her arms around his neck. My best friend Sophie. The girl who helped me pick this dress. The girl who told me Jason was going to propose tonight too.

They were kissing. Like they had done it a hundred times before.

The sound of the party disappeared.

Jason saw me first. He didn't even let go of her.

"Ava. You weren't supposed to be over here yet."

My hand was shaking so hard the purse strap was digging into my skin. "What is this?"

Sophie finally stepped back. She didn't look guilty. She looked... sorry for me.

"Jason was going to tell you tonight," she said softly. "After the party. We didn't want to ruin his birthday."

Ruin his birthday.

I laughed. I didn't mean to. It came out broken.

"Three years, Jason. Three years I waited for you to be serious."

He sighed like I was being dramatic. That sigh. I had heard it so many times when I talked about my future, my designs, my dreams.

"Ava, come on. You knew we were growing apart. You're sweet, but you're not... Sophie understands my world. You never did."

My world.

Because his father is Adrian Sterling. Billionaire. Because he was born into that house and I was born in a one-bedroom apartment where my mom left me at 12.

I thought love was enough. I really did.

I took the little velvet box out of my purse. My fingers were numb. I opened it. The watch was shining under the party lights.

I had written My Forever.

He looked at it, then at me, and he actually laughed. "Are you serious? You were going to propose to ME?"

Sophie covered her mouth. Some people near the pool turned. They were staring. Whispering.

I felt my face burn. Not from crying. From shame. That hot, sick shame that goes down your throat and makes you want to disappear.

"Okay, wow," Jason said, running a hand through his hair. "This is getting weird. Look, we can talk later, okay? When you're not being so emotional."

Emotional.

I didn't say anything. I couldn't. If I opened my mouth, I would scream.

I turned and walked. Not to the house. To the garden behind the mansion. Where it was dark. Where no one could see me.

I sat on the cold stone bench and finally let the tears come. I took off the necklace Jason gave me on our first anniversary. A cheap little thing that I thought was precious. I threw it into the bushes.

I was such a fool.

"You're going to catch a cold."

The voice came from behind me. Low. Calm. Too calm for this party.

I didn't need to turn. I knew that voice. Everyone in New York knew that voice.

Adrian Sterling.