It had been six years since Stan and Ava Parker got married. Their wedding was grand and beautiful, a day filled with love and celebration. Friends and family showered the couple with blessings and expensive gifts, all wrapped in happiness. Their marriage had started on a perfect note, and Ava had done everything to make it remain that way.

As a wife, Ava was devoted, hardworking, and eager to ease Stan’s burdens. She never wanted him to feel overwhelmed, knowing how busy he was as a businessman. But now, sitting at a restaurant table with her friends Gabby and Matt, Ava couldn’t help but feel an ache in her chest. Gabby was laughing and playfully nudging her husband, and Matt’s loving gaze was fixed on his wife. Their joy was palpable, a painful reminder of what Ava’s life with Stan lacked.

Stan had once been attentive, but now his world revolved around his business. Vacations were nonexistent, expensive gifts were rare, and Ava never complained. She had accepted it, convincing herself that she was doing the right thing as a "good wife." But lately, loneliness had begun to weigh on her.

She snapped back to reality as Gabby enthusiastically described their recent trip to Italy. Gabby’s excitement, once infectious, now grated on Ava’s nerves. Trying to escape the conversation, Ava’s eyes wandered around the restaurant. That’s when she saw him.

Her heart stopped. Stan.

He was seated at a table across the room, but he wasn’t alone. Beside him was Rachel Summers. Ava’s stomach churned as she recognized her childhood neighbor, the woman who always seemed to have everything handed to her on a silver platter. Rachel was the epitome of a rich, spoiled, bratty "daddy’s girl." Ava had tolerated her growing up, but now, seeing her touching Stan’s arm intimately, her tolerance turned to fury.

Ava’s breath caught in her throat as Rachel leaned in and kissed Stan. Worse, Stan didn’t pull away—he kissed her back.

Anger, disgust, and heartbreak crashed over Ava in waves, but it was the nausea that overwhelmed her. She couldn’t stay there any longer. Clutching her hand over her mouth, she bolted from the restaurant. Tears blurred her vision as she ran blindly through the streets.

She didn’t see the car until it was too late.

The impact was brutal. By the time Ava came to, she was being rushed into an operating room. The chaos of the accident felt surreal, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the emotional torment. Later, as she lay in her hospital bed, she replayed the moment over and over.

The doctor said she’d suffered broken bones and internal injuries, but it could have been worse. She needed time to heal, and for now, she would remain in the hospital under observation. A nurse had informed her that Stan wouldn’t be able to come immediately because he was away on a "business trip."

'Liar', Ava thought

Ava clenched her fists, thinking of the previous night. She had seen him with Rachel Summers. He wasn’t on a business trip—he was likely in a hotel bed with her right now, tangled in each others arms naked under the bedsheets.

Her thoughts spiraled until she felt someone’s gaze on her. She turned her head and saw one of the nurses, assigned to her. The young nurse quickly looked away, pretending to check the glucose bag beside Ava’s bed. Ava let out a bitter laugh. Even in her broken state, someone was admiring her.

Ava managed a weak smile, her voice hoarse but laced with sarcasm. "Admiring the broken pieces, are we? Don’t waste your time—they’re not worth much anymore."