Chapter 60

• His tone was like a cold gust of wind, stirring doubt in the corners of her mind.
• Then, like a sledgehammer shattering glass, his next words struck with a devastating force that shattered the fragile façade of Ava's hopes and dreams. The vulnerability that had been hidden beneath her determined exterior was laid bare, exposed to the harsh light of his revelation. "Your friend only did her job to make you feel that way, by bringing you close to me." His words were a bitter pill to swallow, a revelation that tore at the very fabric of her understanding. "In the whole sense of it," he continued, each word cutting deeper, "there's actually nothing you feel or know about love."
• Ava's world crumbled around her as the pieces of truth that Leon was unveiling crashed down upon her like an avalanche. It was as if the ground had given way beneath her feet, leaving her in freefall. She struggled to comprehend the enormity of what she was hearing, her heart pounding in her chest, her breath catching in her throat. "My friend?" Her voice was a fragile whisper, trembling with shock, her wide eyes reflecting disbelief and betrayal. Her mind raced, desperately trying to process the implications of his revelation. "It was a planned thing with... Lily to bring me close to you?"