The Heart's Deception

d kept from her. She had been rehearsing this moment in her head for hours, trying to prepare herself for the confro

el tightly. She could feel Ryder's eyes on her, his silence

car, her feet carrying her towards Kai's apartment with a sense of purpose. Ryder

er palms getting sweaty, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios. What w

er fist clenched, and knocked on the door. The wait was agonizing, the silence d

s narrowed, his jaw set in a firm line. He looked older,

said, his vo

er gaze piercing. "We need to t

er leaving hers. "I figu

acing with accusations. "You have

rs sagging in defeat. "

ing out, her words tumbling out in a torrent of emotion. "How c

ce pale. "I was afraid of

er. "You've lost me, Kai.

eyes flashed with anger, his jaw clenched in defiance. "You don't

in her chest. "Tell me, then," she spat. "

ze piercing. "Sasha and I... we hav

h implications. "What kind of history?" s

ale. "We were in love, Avery.

ashing down around her. "What?" she

e. "You don't understand, Avery," he snarled. "You don't k

ing with accusations. "You cheated

s face pale. "I know,"

deceit. Avery's heart was shattered, her world crushed. She felt like she

, her anger and hurt pouring out in a torrent of emotion. And in the

ising in indignation. "You cheated on me, K

le. "I know, Avery. I know. I w

is forgetting to pick up milk, Kai. A mistake is no

efiance. "You don't understand, Avery. You don't kno

h implications. "What kind of history?" sh

ale. "We were in love, Avery.

ashing down around her. "What?" she

fiance. "You don't understand, Avery. You don't know

th accusations. "You cheated on me with h

le. "I know, Avery. I know. I w

Weak? You were weak? You were

lenched in defiance. "I know, Avery. I k

ontempt. "Love me? You don't know the meaning

deceit. Avery's heart was shattered, her world crushed. She felt like she

, her anger and hurt pouring out in a torrent of emotion. And in the

new that she would never be the same again. She had been fo

n she had ever thought possible. She had faced her

the deceit, she knew that she would never look back. She would ne

ttle for a love that was