Chapter 180
Marcus’s POV
She said no.
Not in anger. Not in cruelty. Just… with calm finality.
Callie stood there with the ring still open between us.”
“I’m not saying never,” she said. “But not now.“>
I closed the box.
And I didn’t fight her.”
She stayed that night. Not in my room, but in Sophie’s, curled beside her like it was second nature. I watched from the hallway for a second longer than I should’ve before turning away.”
Hope is a quiet thing, the ring said.
So I stayed quiet.
Three weeks passed.
She didn’t move back in, but she came home. Every night. She cooked dinner with Sophie. She laughed–carefully at first, like she was checking if the room could hold it. Eventually, it did. Eventually, we did.
She started teaching at the local arts center again–painting, sketching, messy little classes full of kids who told her things they didn’t tell their parents. I could tell it filled something in her. Something we’d starved out of her in this house.
And still, she returned.
To Sophie.
To me.
But we hadn’t talked. Not really. Not about that night. Not about Ava.}
Until tonight.
The rain had come in quietly. By the time we finished dinner, it was steady and cold. Callie curled up on the couch with her sketchpad, bare feet tucked beneath her, hair damp from walking out to the mailbox earlier.
I hovered near the doorway, trying to gather the courage to finally speak the words I’d held in for years.}
“Can I ask you something?” she said, eyes still on her page.
“Of course.”}
“Why did you bring Ava here?”
I closed my eyes. It still stung. “Because I was angry. Because I was ashamed.“}
Callie looked up, eyes sharp. “That’s not an answer.“}
“You’re right.“}
I sat down slowly across from her. “She was noise. That’s all. Loud, easy distraction. I wanted Sophie to see something that looked like happiness, even if it wasn’t real.”
Callie’s mouth drew into a line. “You let her sleep in Isabelle’s bed,” she said. “You let her stand in this kitchen. You let her speak to Sophie like she was disposable.”
“I know.”
“You didn’t stop her, Marcus. Even when she said things to me that-”
“I know,” I said again, barely audible.
And then, the doorbell rang.”
We both froze.}
Sophie came halfway down the stairs, peeking over the railing. “Was someone coming over?”
“No,” I said.”
But when I opened the door, I understood.”
It was Ava. Standing in the rain, mascara streaked, soaked through her trench coat. She looked like someone who hadn’t slept in days.”
In her hand, she held something small wrapped in cloth.
“I don’t want to come in,” she said, but her voice shook.
I glanced back at Callie, who was standing now. Sophie behind her on the stairs, silent.
“Maybe you should,” I said.”
Ava hesitated and then stepped inside.
We all sat in the living room, awkward and quiet. Callie didn’t lean back. Sophie crossed her arms and stared at the floor. I sat between
them.”
Ava unwrapped the cloth.
Inside was a bracelet–delicate, rose gold, with a tiny charm shaped like a crescent moon. I recognized it immediately.§
Isabelle’s bracelet.
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all sat in the living room, awkward and quiet. Callie didn’t lean back. Sophie crossed her arms and stared at the floor. I sat between them.
Ava unwrapped the cloth.
Inside was a bracelet–delicate, rose gold, with a tiny charm shaped like a crescent moon. I recognized it immediately.” Isabelle’s bracelet.}
“You took it,” Callie said quietly.
“I did,” Ava replied. “I found it in Isabelle’s drawer. I didn’t even think. I just wanted something that felt… important,” she said, and set it on the table between us.
“I told myself you didn’t deserve what you had,” Ava continued, eyes now on Callie. “The house. Marcus. Sophie. The grief. I thought I could rewrite the story. But all I did was insert myself into a life that never had a space for me.”}
Callie’s jaw clenched. “You hurt Sophie.”
Ava nodded. “I know. And I can’t undo it. But I needed to say this face to face. Not for forgiveness. Just to stop hiding from it.“} Then, she faced Sophie. “You were never cruel. You were just smarter than me. You saw through everything.“}
Sophie didn’t speak. But she looked up.
Callie reached across the table and took the bracelet. She held it in her palm like something fragile, personal, sacred. “You stole from a dead woman. From a girl who’d already lost one mother.”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “Truly.”
And for the first time, Ava looked small.
Silence settled. The room held it without collapsing.
“Are you going to keep trying to come back?” Callie asked.}
Ava shook her head. “No. I know where I stand now.”
She stood. “I won’t bother you again.”}
I walked her to the door, but she stopped one last time and looked straight into my eyes.
“Thank you for letting me feel your love, even just for a moment. And I’m sorry for almost getting you behind bars. I regretted it so much.“) Ava smiled, a real one.§
“She was never your second choice,” she said. “And if you treat her like she is again, I hope she walks away… For good.“M
Then she walked away. Shoulders now resting in relief.@
Later, we sat on the couch again, the bracelet resting on the coffee table.
Sophie was curled under Callie’s arm. I was on the other side, watching both of them, heart heavier than I wanted to admit.
“What happens now, Marcus?” Callie asked. “Why finally say it all now?“N
“Because I finally want something with you. Not out of duty. Not out of guilt. But because I want to be the man you should’ve had from the start.“}
I looked at her fully.
“I didn’t choose you, Callie. Not the way you deserved.“}
Sophie sat up slowly. “And are you finally choosing her now?“>
“Yes,” I said. “Now. And for every day after this.”
