Chapter 2

Liam felt a flicker of annoyance when Ava didn't text back.

Usually, she responded within seconds.

Her quiet was… strange.

He checked his phone again an hour later.

Still nothing.

His message, clear and direct, sat there with a "Delivered" receipt but no reply.

He was in his penthouse apartment with Sienna, celebrating.

She was beautiful, an aspiring actress who knew how to play her part.

She curled up against him on the leather sofa, her hand tracing patterns on his chest.

"Is something wrong, babe?" she asked, her voice soft.

"It's just Ava," Liam said, tossing his phone onto the coffee table. "I told her about us. I thought she'd freak out, send a hundred messages, call Mark crying. But… nothing. Just silence."

Sienna laughed, a light, tinkling sound.

"Maybe she's finally growing up. Or maybe she's playing hard-to-get. You know, give you the silent treatment so you'll come chasing after her."

The idea hadn't occurred to Liam, but it made perfect sense.

Of course.

That had to be it.

Ava had always been dramatic.

This was just a new tactic.

The thought, instead of bothering him, soothed his ego.

She still wanted him.

She was just changing her strategy.

"You think so?" he asked, a smile playing on his lips.

"Definitely," Sienna confirmed, snuggling closer. "A girl doesn't just get over a crush that big overnight. She's trying to make you jealous, make you wonder. It's Hard-to-Get 101."

One of his friends, who had stayed for another drink, chimed in from the bar.

"Sienna's right, man. It's a classic move. You need to double down. Make your thing with Sienna so public, so in-her-face, that she has no choice but to give up her little game and admit defeat."

Liam nodded slowly, the plan solidifying in his mind.

They were right.

He needed to accelerate the charade.

Make it undeniable.

"So, we stick to the plan? The engagement, all of it?"

"Absolutely," Sienna said, her eyes gleaming. "Let's give her a show she'll never forget. Then, once she's gone, it's just you and me."

She sealed it with a kiss.

A promise of a future he desperately wanted.

The next morning, Liam's phone rang.

It was Mark.

"What did you say to Ava?" Mark's voice was tight with anger.

"Hey, man. I just told her the truth. That Sienna and I are together," Liam said casually, sipping his coffee. "I thought it was better to be direct."

"Direct? Liam, she's a wreck. She came home last night soaked to the bone, hasn't come out of her room since. She accepted that scholarship in New York. She's leaving."

Liam felt a brief pang of something-surprise?

Guilt?

He pushed it down.

This was part of her act.

Running away to New York?

It was the ultimate dramatic gesture to get his attention.

"Look, Mark, she's being theatrical. She'll get over it," Liam said, his voice dismissive. "She just needs some space."

"This isn't theatrical, Liam! This is real. You broke her heart."

"I have to go, I have a meeting with Sienna to plan our engagement party," Liam said, eager to get off the phone.

Mark's concern was a buzzkill.

"We'll talk later."

He hung up before Mark could argue.

He had more important things to worry about.

Sienna was his priority.

Ava and her teenage drama could wait.

Meanwhile, in her room, Ava was methodically packing.

She folded clothes into suitcases, her movements precise and emotionless.

She went online and booked her flight, a one-way ticket to a new life.

There was no theatricality, only a cold, quiet resolve.

She was erasing herself from their lives, just as he wanted.

A week later, there was a charity gala.

One of those high-society events her parents insisted she attend.

She knew Liam and Sienna would be there.

Part of her wanted to hide, but a stronger part, a new, hardened part, refused to.

She wouldn't let him think she was hiding in shame.

She wore a simple, elegant black dress.

No more red.

No more trying to catch his eye.

She saw them the moment she walked in.

Liam had his arm wrapped possessively around Sienna's waist.

Sienna was wearing a glittering diamond necklace-a gift from him, no doubt.

They were the center of attention, laughing and smiling for the cameras.

Gossip buzzed around them.

"Is that Liam's new girlfriend? I thought he was single."

"I heard it's serious. They're already talking about marriage."

"What about that girl who was always following him? His friend's sister?"

"Oh, Ava? He probably got tired of the puppy dog act."

Ava stood alone by the bar, holding a glass of champagne, the bubbles doing nothing to lift her spirits.

She felt their eyes on her, a mix of pity and mockery.

Liam looked over, his gaze meeting hers.

He gave her a small, triumphant smile, as if to say, See?

I've won.

He then turned and kissed Sienna on the cheek, a deliberate, public display of affection.

He was putting on a show, just like his friends suggested.

A show designed to break her.

And it was working.