Chapter 6

I woke up to glaring hospital lights the next morning.

A nurse was swapping out my IV bag.

"A good Samaritan brought you in.

Your airway was shut.

You barely made it.

We tried calling your emergency contact, Mr. Thorne...

but it went straight to voicemail."

I shook my head.

The number wasn't wrong.

The man was.

I pulled up Julian's number, ready to type out two words:

We're done.

But before I hit send, the door swung open.

Julian hurried in.

Chloe trailed close behind him, looking pale and frail.

When she saw me,

she rushed to the bed with an exaggerated gasp.

"Oh my god, Ava!

You scared me half to death!

When Julian told me you were in the ER,

I made him bring me straight here."

She looked me up and down.

Her eyes lingered on my swollen, blotchy face.

Then, a giggle slipped out.

"You know... you look kind of cute like this.

Like an angry pufferfish."

She laughed and leaned into Julian's chest.

His mouth twitched, then froze under my dead stare.

"But seriously, Ava."

Chloe covered her mouth, her eyes darting between us.

"If you're still swollen like this... what about the wedding?

We can't let Julian be the laughingstock of Wall Street, right?"