Ten Years a Ward

than Hayes. After my family fell apart, he too

I gathered all my courage

fore. He swept my birthday cake to the floor an

painting I had spent a year

he brought home h

called me his brightest star, had vanished. My decade of

to protect me had become t

n my hand. I had to leave. I had to pull him

hone and dialed m

, "I've decided. I want to c

pte

than Hayes began with Ava deleting t

d shot she had

n, a financial magazine resting on his knee. He was looki

ge of eight to eighteen, this ma

sorrow, her entire wor

to extinguish that s

een wen

black, leaving

t the phone down and picked up the glass

sliding down her throat, but it couldn't s

n and dialed a number she ha

uickly. A man's gent

v

ice a little hoarse. "I got

ith unconcealed joy. "That's wonderful! Ava, congratulation

e

ded? You're com

rip on the phone tightening.

his place. She wanted

er voice. He sighed softly. "Is it because

t just keep living in his house as his ward, not now. It feels wron

silence

"My poor Ava. It's been hard on you all these years, living in that house because

ck on track. You don't need to depend

is words made A

olding back the

at herself in the mirror. H

ull ten years loving a man w

ad to

ut of her heart, piece by pie

ut of her room. The light in the s

s still

lked over, clutching the NYU accept

n door. Through the gap, sh

amp cast a soft glow on his sharp profile, outlining a face so handsome it seemed unreal. A pair

family's business crumbled. When her parents divorced and her mother left the country, it was her father,

, with no bl

had secretly lov

ut softly, her voic

w furrowed slightly as h

as cold and di

ut to speak when his phone on the

e saw the caller ID. A gentleness she h

d, his voice

fiancée,

. He listened to the person on the other end, the corner of his mouth cur

he door, her hands an

her hand felt like it w

o months ago. She had gathered all her courage to give h

girl followed a man's bac

her con

as a fury she had

off the table, the cake

s eyes red with rage. "Are yo

re not related by blood! My dad trusted you! And the way you've always

lty. "Can't you tell the difference between familial

lessly torn her paintin

backward glance, leaving her alon

fully taping them back together. But the pai

she hadn'

good enough, as long as she got in

graduation, he brou

ith a smile. "Ava, this

the momen

truly

love for the past ten yea

be the one to ex

et him out o