Ava's POV
I looked at the black satin dress I had put out on my bed.
It was sleek. Elegant. Intimidating even.
It wasn't the kind of dress I usually wore.
It was the kind of dress that made people look twice.
And yet, as I ran my fingers over fabric, I could only doubt it all over again.
"Maybe this is a bad idea," I whispered.
The city lights outside my window reflected in the mirror as I moved closer, watching my reflection .
I looked put together. Unbothered. Successful.
Like I had my shit together.
But inside?
My stomach twisted.
It was pathetic, really.
Ten years had passed.
Ten years of moving on.
And yet, here I was, my heart pounding like I was seventeen again.
I turned from the mirror and sat on the bed.
What am I doing?
Why am I even going?
No one invited me personally.
It wasn't like anyone would notice if I didn't show up.
And the last person I wanted to see was the one standing as the Chairman.
Nathaniel Hart.
Even thinking about his name made my heart ache.
I should stay home, order takeout, and forget this whole thing ever existed.
I didn't need to go prove anything to people who never saw me to begin with.
But my heart refused to listen to reason.
Maybe I just wanted to face it.
One last time.
I wanted to prove to myself that it doesn't hurt anymore.
With a deep breath, I stood up and wore the dress.
I wore the diamond earrings I'd gotten for my last birthday, applied lipstick, and looked in the mirror again.
The girl who I saw wasn't the old Ava collins.
This one had survived the storms.
This one had walked through fire.
I stood straight. "You've got this," I told myself.
And even if I didn't, I'd fake it until I did.
********
The Grand Hyatt Ballroom was everything I remembered. Huge chandeliers, laughter that sounded too fake, people dressed in wealth
The moment I stepped in, heads turned.
Whispers followed.
For a second, I wanted to turn around and walk right back out.
But I didn't.
The crowd parted slightly as I entered.
Some faces were familiar, old classmates, old bullies, old ghosts.
I could practically feel their eyes over me, trying to place the new me against the memory of the old one.
"Is that Ava collins?" someone whispered behind me.
"Wow… she changed."
"I heard she runs her own company now."
The words moved past me as I walked.
Let them talk.
At least they were finally seeing me.
**********,
I was halfway across the room when I heard a voice.
"Ava?"
I turned, and of course, it was no other person, Vanessa.
Vanessa Reed.
She was still as beautiful and radiant as when I last saw her.
The same smile she'd used to stab people without ever raising her voice.
"Vanessa," I greeted, keeping my tone light. "You look… exactly the same."
Her eyes flickered, just slightly, before she composed herself. "You too. Though I must say—" she looked over me from head to toe "—Seattle's been kind to you."
"Hard work does pay off," I said.
She smiled slightly. "Oh, of course. Nathaniel always said you were determined."
She mentioned his name deliberately, she wanted a reaction.
She knew what she was doing.
"Did he? I'm surprised he noticed anything back then."
"Oh, he noticed plenty. We've actually kept in touch, you know? Good friends, unlike some people who… ran away."
I laughed softly, unbothered. "Sometimes running is the smartest way to survive. Many wouldn't know as they've never left here."
Her smile disappeared, but only for a moment.
Then she moved closer and whispered. "He's here, by the way. And he looks better than ever."
"I'm sure he does," I said, my smile sharp. "But then again, so do I."
Her expression froze and it made me only happy.
For the first time tonight, I felt a victory, and it was great.
***********
The music was soft
Glasses sounded, laughter continued, and I stood near the bar, pretending to enjoy the wine I hadn't even tasted.
And then… I saw him.
Across the room, standing tall, Nathaniel Hart looked every inch the man I'd always known he'd become.
Controlled. Effortlessly Handosome
He was talking to a small group of men, investors, maybe. His tone,calm, his smile, polite.
He carried himself the same way he always had , quietly commanding, without needing to raise his voice.
And then… his eyes lifted.
For a moment, our gazes met across the crowd.
The room seemed to stop.
My heart kept pounding, as if ten years of distance had collapsed into one second.
The way he looked at me, unreadable, reserved , sent a thousand memories crashing through me at once.
Then he looked away.
Just like that.
No smile. No nod. No acknowledgment.
Just a quiet dismissal.
It shouldn't have hurt.
But it did.
More than I wanted to admit.
*********
The rest of the night continued.
People approached me, former classmates, old friends, each with their rehearsed lines of surprise.
"Ava! You look incredible!"
"I didn't even recognize you!"
"Oh my God, remember that time—?"
I smiled, laughed when I needed to, and said all the right things.
But even in all this, I couldn't only think about the man across who hadn't looked at me again, but somehow had greeted everyone here.
Vanessa stayed close to him, holding his hand, whispering in his ears, her laugh loud.
It was all directed to me, her little performance, it was all to see a reaction from me and I hated that I felt something. Hurt? Maybe
But I wouldn't give her the satisfaction.
So I smiled harder.
Stood taller.
Every complement, every whisper, every look, I responded with the right amount of energy.
**********
At some point, the committee called for everyone's attention.
A microphone clicked.
"Good evening, everyone," I heard that voice I knew too well
Nathaniel.
He climbed the stage.
"It's been a long time since our graduation," he began. We've all gone on to build our own lives. Tonight isn't just about remembering who we were, but appreciating who we've become."
A round of applause followed.
I didn't move.
I couldn't.
He spoke so well.
When he finished, he smiled and stepped back down.
*************
The evening continued slowly.
The laughter, the music, everything just irritated me so much.
I'd thought seeing him again would make me stronger, help me finally close that chapter.
But instead, I just felt… small.
Invisible all over again.
When almost everyone began to leave, he walked near me.
For a second, I froze.
We looked at each other for a moment, not long enough for a conversation.
He gave a polite nod.
Like he just had to do it out of courtesy.
"Miss collins," he said, his tone calm, like I was just another stranger he barely remembered.
That was it.
Two words.
A nod.
Then he walked past me.
And I stood there, frozen
**************
By the time I reached my car, I didn't feel good.
Before I knew it, I was back in my apartment.
The silence felt louder now.
Almost cruel.
I laughed bitterly. "He really just ignored me."
Ten years, and that was all I got.
A nod.
"Miss collins".
Like I was nothing more than someone he barely remembered.
I leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
Maybe Vanessa was right.
Maybe I shouldn't have come.
Maybe I really was still that naive girl.
But then, something changed.
The longer I thought about it, the less it hurt.
Anger replaced the ache.
Slow, deliberate, and fierce.
How dare he look through me like that?
After everything?
After the way his silence destroyed me once?
No.
Not again.
If he wanted to pretend I didn't exist, then fine.
I'd make sure the next time we meet, he wouldn't be able to ignore me.
Not ever again.
Instead, if anything I'd be the one to ignore him.