Chapter 5: The Secret She Buried Six Months Ago
Ava watched the screen freeze on Ethan’s face.
“I know what you did.””
Four words.
That was all.
But they felt heavier than every comment, every headline, and every angry message she had received since the club incident.
Because Ethan wasn’t talking about her attitude.
He wasn’t talking about her arrogance.
He was talking about something else.
Something older.
Something she had worked very hard to forget.
Mia slowly turned away from the phone.
“Ava…”
She didn’t finish the sentence.
She didn’t need to.
Ava already knew the question.
“What did he mean?””
Ava placed the phone on the table.
The screen continued glowing between them.
“I don’t know.””
Mia stared.
“That’s not true.””
Ava looked up.
“What?””
“You know exactly what he meant.””
“No.””
“Ava.””
Mia’s voice was softer now.
“Who was Lily’s sister?””
The apartment suddenly felt smaller.
Ava walked toward the kitchen, opened a cabinet, then closed it without taking anything out.
A habit.
A distraction.
Anything to avoid answering.
“She was someone who worked at the event.””
“That’s not an answer.””
“It’s the truth.””
“No, it’s the version you tell when you don’t want to explain.””
Ava looked at her sharply.
“You’re my assistant, Mia. Not my therapist.””
Mia didn’t flinch.
“And you’re my boss. Not my excuse.””
The words surprised Ava.
Mia had never spoken to her like that.
Not once.
For years, everyone around Ava had adjusted themselves to her moods.
They softened their voices.
They apologized first.
They avoided difficult conversations.
Mia was the only person who had stayed long enough to see behind the image.
And now she was finally saying what everyone else had been too afraid to say.
Ava sat down.
“Her name was Rachel.””
Mia waited.
“She was Lily’s sister.””
“What happened?””
Ava looked at the floor.
“An accident.””
“What kind of accident?””
Ava didn’t answer immediately.
Because saying it out loud would make it real.
Six months earlier.
Before Eclipse Lounge.
Before the videos.
Before people started questioning her.
Ava had attended the launch event for a major fashion campaign.
The night was supposed to be perfect.
A million-dollar collaboration.
A room full of celebrities.
Hundreds of cameras.
Everyone wanted a piece of her.
At least, that was how she saw it.
But behind the scenes, things were chaotic.
The event staff was overwhelmed.
The schedule kept changing.
People were running in every direction.
And one of those people was Rachel Carter.
Rachel was a production assistant.
Young.
Quiet.
Always apologizing.
Ava remembered her now.
Not because Rachel had done anything wrong.
But because Rachel had been the kind of person Ava barely noticed.
Someone who existed in the background.
Someone who carried things.
Someone who fixed problems.
Until she couldn’t.
“The stage lights malfunctioned,” Ava said quietly.
Mia listened.
“Rachel was responsible for checking the equipment.””
“Was she?””
Ava looked up.
“What?””
“Was she responsible?””
Ava hesitated.
Mia noticed.
“She wasn’t, was she?””
Ava looked away.
“No.””
“Then what happened?””
Ava rubbed her forehead.
“The lighting team made a mistake.””
“And Rachel?””
“She tried to fix it.””
Mia waited.
Ava’s voice became quieter.
“She got hurt.””
The room went silent.
“How badly?””
Ava didn’t answer.
Mia understood.
“Oh.””
Ava looked toward the window.
“She survived.””
“But?””
Ava swallowed.
“She lost the ability to work in events.””
Mia sat down slowly.
“That’s what Ethan meant?””
Ava nodded.
“Maybe.””
“No.””
Mia shook her head.
“Not maybe.””
Ava looked irritated.
“You weren’t there.””
“No. I wasn’t.””
Mia leaned forward.
“But I’m here now.””
Ava didn’t speak.
Mia continued.
“You told people you were angry because the schedule changed.””
“It was part of it.””
“What else?””
Ava stayed quiet.
The silence answered.
Mia’s expression changed.
“You blamed her.””
Ava immediately responded.
“No.””
But it came too quickly.
Mia noticed.
“You did.””
“I was frustrated.””
“You blamed her.””
Ava stood up.
“You don’t understand what that night was like.””
“Then explain it.””
Ava opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Because the truth was embarrassing.
The truth wasn’t that she was angry.
The truth was why.
She had been afraid.
Afraid of looking less important.
Afraid of being ignored.
Afraid that without attention, she wasn’t special.
And instead of admitting that fear, she found someone else to blame.
“I said things I shouldn’t have,” Ava finally whispered.
Mia looked at her.
“What things?””
Ava closed her eyes.
The memory returned.
Rachel standing backstage.
Tears in her eyes.
Trying to apologize for something she didn’t cause.
And Ava saying:
“You should be grateful I’m not getting you fired.””
The words felt disgusting now.
Especially because she remembered Rachel’s response.
“I’m sorry.””
Not anger.
Not excuses.
Just sorry.
Ava had walked away.
She had forgotten.
Until now.
Mia spoke quietly.
“Did Rachel lose her job?””
Ava didn’t answer.
Mia’s face changed.
“Oh, Ava.””
“She quit.””
“Because of you?””
Ava looked down.
“I don’t know.””
Mia shook her head.
“You do.””
Before Ava could respond, her phone rang.
Unknown number.
Again.
This time, she answered immediately.
“Who is this?””
A woman’s voice replied.
“Ms. Sterling?””
Ava froze.
She recognized the voice.
Not from the phone.
From the past.
“Lily?””
There was silence.
Then:
“Yes.””
Ava sat down.
“What do you want?””
Lily laughed quietly.
“That’s interesting.””
“What?””
“Six months ago, I asked you the same thing.””
Ava said nothing.
Lily continued.
“I wanted you to tell the truth.””
“I did nothing wrong.””
Another silence.
Then Lily said:
“That’s exactly what you said when my sister was sitting in a hospital room.””
Ava’s fingers tightened around the phone.
Mia looked at her.
“Hospital?””
Ava ignored her.
“Lily, I’m sorry about what happened.””
“No.””
The word was immediate.
“You’re not.””
Ava frowned.
“What?””
“You’re sorry people found out.””
“That’s not fair.””
“Isn’t it?””
Lily’s voice shook.
“My sister spent months blaming herself because you made her believe she failed.””
Ava closed her eyes.
“I never meant for that.””
“But you meant what you said.””
The room became silent.
Lily continued.
“You told her nobody would remember her name.””
Ava felt a chill.
Because she did remember saying that.
She had said it casually.
Like it was nothing.
Like words disappeared after they were spoken.
Lily’s voice became quieter.
“She remembered.””
Ava couldn’t speak.
“She remembered every word.””
A tear appeared in the corner of Ava’s eye, but she wiped it away quickly.
“What do you want from me?””
Lily took a breath.
“I want you to see the whole video.””
Ava looked at her phone.
“The whole video?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because you still don’t understand.””
Ava’s voice hardened.
“Understand what?””
“That you weren’t exposed tonight because you were rude.””
A pause.
“You were exposed because you spent years convincing yourself that hurting people was just part of being successful.””
Ava looked away.
The words hurt because part of her believed them.
Then Lily added:
“And there’s one more thing.””
“What?””
“The person who released the video wasn’t Ethan.””
Ava frowned.
“What?””
“He only gave you the warning.””
“Then who posted it?””
Lily didn’t answer immediately.
When she finally spoke, her voice had changed.
Almost afraid.
“The person who has been waiting six months for you to remember what happened.””
Ava stood.
“Who?””
The call ended.
A second later, a new notification appeared.
A message.
A photo.
Ava opened it.
Her heart stopped.
It was a picture from the night of the accident.
Rachel.
In the hospital.
And beside her bed stood someone Ava recognized immediately.
Someone she thought had disappeared from her life forever.
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Under the photo was one sentence.
*“You forgot me. I never forgot you.””*
