The table was covered in breakfast foods,
which would have made me happy before.
But now, knowing about his secret journal, I
couldn’t be happy.
This was all stuff Ava loved.
The sound of a key in the lock startled me. Ava
walked in, wearing a pristine white dress.
She sat down at the table, smiling.
<
“Sorry to bother you, Claire. Ethan called me to
have breakfast since we have a photoshoot this
morning.”
I stared at her key chain, the exact same as
mine.
Ethan sensed my mood and whispered to me.
“Ava’s our best friend. It’s normal for her to
have a key…”
He stopped mid–sentence, suddenly standing
up and taking Ava’s juice glass from her.
“Ava, you can’t drink orange juice. After all
these years, why can’t you remember that?”
Ava giggled, her tone flirty.
“Oh, you’re so right. It’s a good thing I have you
to keep me straight.”
They stared into each other’s eyes, acting like a
couple.
I had no desire to watch their little show and
was headed for the door when Ava stopped me. “Claire, I remember you’re a photographer.
Would you mind helping us out with the shoot
today? I don’t really trust this new
photographer.”
<
I hadn’t touched a camera since Dad’s death.
Every time I picked one up, I’d think of him
teaching me, and I’d see that haunting,
heartbroken look on his face when he passed
away.
Ethan knew this. He had locked all my cameras
away, telling me not to push myself and that I
would come out of it when I was ready.
But now, without even asking me, he was
pushing me into the car.
“Ava gets car sick. Claire, you’ll be fine in the
back.”
He conveniently forgot that I was the one that
got car sick, far worse than Ava.
I hadn’t even finished my breakfast, and I spent
the whole drive with my stomach churning.
When we finally arrived, Ethan was doting on
Ava, making sure not to wrinkle her dress,
before escorting her into the studio.
I was trying to catch my breath by the car when
Ethan pulled me inside.
“Claire, the shoot’s about to start. Don’t be
difficult. This shoot is really important for Ava
<
and the company.”
Ethan practically shoved me into the studio. I
almost fell.
It had been five years since I held a camera, it felt strange and terrifying. My hands trembled
slightly.
I tried my best to control my emotions, forcing myself to keep pressing the shutter button.
During the mid–shoot break, Ava and I were left
alone. She looked over the photos, a sardonic
smile spreading across her face.
“Claire, you’re just as useless as your father.
You can’t do anything right.”
“Like father, like daughter.”
My fingernails dug into my palms, I was
shaking, trying to contain my rage.
“Slap!” A stinging pain exploded on my cheek.
Ava smirked at me, her hand dangling in the air.
“Claire, you’re so pathetic. I can’t believe you
chased after Ethan so quickly after Mark
dumped you. You’re not good enough for him.
I’ll have you know that either him or Mark,
they’re both mine.”
<
“You’re not worthy.”
My head was turned from the impact, I was still
trying to process what had just happened.
Ava suddenly grabbed my hand and slapped
herself with it, falling dramatically to the
ground.
Her eyes filled with tears, she looked like a
wounded deer, a completely different person
from a second ago.
“Claire, I wasn’t saying your work is bad, I was
just hoping you could shoot from a different
angle. If you don’t want to that’s fine…”
Ethan rushed in, a glass tumbling to the floor as
he saw Ava. He shoved me aside and was by
her side, looking her over.
“Ethan, I’m fine, don’t be mad at Claire, it’s my
fault I wasn’t careful.”
“Ava, you’re just too kind. You always look out
for others, when I was watching this unfold.”
Ethan carefully helped her up, treating her like
she was made of glass.
He put his arm around Ava and glared at me.
It was the first time in five years that he’d
<
looked at me like that.
“Claire, apologize to Ava! I’ve been too soft
with you these past years. You’ve become this
evil woman.”
