My Ex-Husband Begged Me to Take Him Back - Chapter 72

Chapter 72: The provocation

The day of the long-anticipated get-together party had arrived. Ava was buzzing with excitement at the thought of reconnecting with her friends. Standing in front of the mirror, she beamed at her reflection, her red lips curling into a wide smile that radiated confidence.

The blue dress she wore clung beautifully to her curves, the fabric flowing gracefully down to the floor, enhancing her figure. Its sweetheart neckline elegantly showcased her cleavage, adding to her beauty.

“Perfect,” she murmured, feeling satisfied with her look. Her fingers danced through the loose locks of hair framing her face.

With her purse in hand, Ava stepped out of the house, her steps bouncy in excitement. As soon as she stepped out, she noticed Nicholas, who was leaning against his sleek red Bugatti, looking effortlessly charming in a navy blue suit. The evening breeze tousled his bouncy red hair, adding a casual touch to his polished appearance.

The moment Nicholas caught sight of her, his expression froze. He suddenly felt a spike in his pulse rate.

Ava smiled, her eyes twinkling. “Good evening,” she greeted him warmly.

But Nicholas didn’t reply. He kept gawking at her, unmistakably captivated by her beauty.

“Hello!” Ava laughed softly, waving a hand in front of his face. “What are you looking at? Is something there on my face?”

Snapping out of his daze, he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish grin. “No. I just…Honestly, you took my breath away. You look…stunning.”

Ava’s laughter was warm as she tilted her head. “You really know how to charm a girl. So, tell me—how many other women have you dazzled with that line?”

“Let me tell you a secret.” He leaned over to her slightly and whispered, “I haven’t tried to woo any women before. This is the first time.”

“Oh, really? Ava raised an eyebrow playfully. “Hard to believe someone as handsome as you have never tried to win over a woman.”

Nicholas’s lips quirked up in a teasing grin. “So, you’re admitting that I’m handsome!”

His question left her speechless. Ava’s expression faltered, caught off guard, but she quickly composed herself, nodding with a smirk. “Yes, you are, undeniably so.”

“Then be my girlfriend,” he insisted. “I want to be the luckiest man in the world before I die.”

Ava’s smile disappeared altogether, sadness clouding her face at his last sentence.

Seeing the change in her expression, Nicholas regretted saying that. “I didn’t mean to upset you,” he said instantly.

“Don’t say that again,” she warned. “You’ll be fine; you’ll find a donor.”

Nicholas forced a chuckle, though a trace of sorrow remained in his gaze. He had no idea whether he would be able to find a suitable donor. He looked away briefly. When he looked back at her, he masked his distress under the façade of a carefree look.

“Thank you for choosing me as your male companion,” he said, changing the topic. “I thought Ethan would be the lucky guy.”

“No,” Ava replied with a small, grateful smile. “I wanted to go with you. This is my way of saying thank you for the evidence you sent me.”

Nicholas nodded, his gaze dropping to the ground. He assumed she meant the footage from her broken phone, which he had managed to retrieve and send to her that morning. But he regretted not being able to track down Brian yet.

“So, are you going to expose Gianna tonight?” he asked, his eyes sparking with curiosity and excitement as he looked back at her.

“Not tonight,” Ava replied instantly. “This is a private gathering with no media attention – not the scenario I want. I’ll wait until her birthday next week when she plans to propose to Dylan.”

“Really?” Nicholas’s surprise was evident in his face.

Ava nodded curtly, her hands clutching her bag a little tighter unconsciously. As she spoke, she felt bitterness rising to her throat. “She’ll make sure the paparazzi are there to broadcast her every move.” Resentment danced in her eyes. “That’ll be the perfect time to reveal everything. She humiliated me in public and twisted the media to turn against me. I want her to feel that same humiliation and helpless situation.”

Nicholas understood her emotions. “Don’t make your mood bitter because of her,” he chimed in slowly. “Let’s keep her out of our thoughts for now. Tonight is about enjoying yourself.”

He shot her a warm, encouraging smile, and her own expression softened, a genuine smile breaking through as she let the tension slip away.

Nicholas held the door open as Ava moved to step into the car, but the sudden sound of tires squealing close by made her pause.

She glanced over and saw Ethan jumping out of the car.

“Ava, are you going with him?” Ethan demanded, barely masking the hurt in his voice.

“Yes,” Ava replied instantly.

Ethan’s brows drew together in frustration. “I thought we’d go to the party together,” he grunted out with disappointment. “Why is he even here?”

“Don’t fret, Ethan. I called him to come,” Ava explained, feeling a pang of sadness as she caught the look on his face. She couldn’t understand his sudden outburst. “I am going with him.”

“Why? Why him, why not me?” Ethan grew desperate, his hand shooting up to clasp her arm. In his frustration, his grip was tighter than he realized.

Ava winced in pain. “You are hurting me.”

Nicholas immediately stepped in, shoving Ethan’s hand away with a firm look. “Back off, Ethan,” he warned. “She has made her choice—don’t make this worse.”

Ava quickly intervened, putting a gentle hand on Nicholas’s arm. “It’s okay,” she murmured, pulling him back.

She turned to Ethan. “Don’t be angry, Ethan. Nicholas has been helping me a lot recently. I wanted to thank him, that’s all. We’ll all be at the same party; we’ll still have a good time together.” She offered him a small, reassuring smile. “I’ll see you there, alright?”

She pulled a small smile. “See you at the party.”

With that, she slipped into the passenger seat. Nicholas closed the door and turned to face Ethan. He flashed a provocative smile and winked at him before moving to the driver’s side and starting the car.

Ethan stood there, fists clenched, his eyes following the car until it disappeared from view, his chest heaving with frustration as a mix of anger and helplessness took hold.