A heavy cloud of tension filled the air as Ava stood in front of Noah. Her eyes were clear, determined, and filled with the weight of every decision she had made up to this point. She had reached her limit.
"We don't belong together," she said, her voice firm and resolute, like she had practiced the line a thousand times in her head.
Noah looked at her, his face creasing with confusion and desperation.
"What about Liam?" he asked, searching her eyes for any sign of doubt, any hesitation.
Ava stood her ground.
"It's the same thing," she said calmly, yet her tone carried a finality that was hard to ignore.
"The Smiths and the Hamilton's are not for me. I just want to be a free bird, not a caged canary," she added, her words soft but layered with deep longing. She meant every syllable.
Suddenly, Noah wheeled closer and held her hands, gripping her like he was afraid she'd vanish if he let go.
