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Prologue
Stale air welcomedAva as she opened the door to her apartment in New York for the first time in four months. Her apartment was clean, though, thanks to Aunt Mavis, who had made sure to take care of her place and the cats while she was away. Her father wanted her to stay in Georgia until after Christmas, but she felt that it was time. She enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday with her family and then returned home.
While her physical injuries had healed, her emotional ones left her badly scarred. She had lost so much and all at once. During her recovery, she thought she would lose her mind sometimes. She considered her family protective before the accident, and they were ten times as bad now. She couldn’t get away soon enough. If she was naïve in the past, she was none of that now. The cruel lessons she had learned in such a short time had taught her a lot. She wasn’t so easily swayed into believing things anymore. But under the surface of that new found façade was the old Ava. She still wanted to believe that there was good and kindness in people.
She dropped her suitcase in the entryway and opened the closet to hang her coat and place her shoes. On the floor of the closet was a dark case that looked familiar. She slid it into the hallway, curious of its contents. Inside she recognized clothing, shoes, a bag of jewelry and cosmetics as the items she had left at Xander’s apartment before they left for Georgia. There was also a piece of folded yellow legal paper. A lump had formed in her throat as she pulled out the paper and slowly opened the folds. The handwriting was familiar — Xander’s.
Ava,
I don’t know how you can ever forgive me for what I have done, for the pain I caused you to feel. I spent most of my life taking advantage of others for my own gain until I met you. I never knew pure love until then. You taught me how to be kind, caring, treat others with respect and most of all how to love unconditionally. I can never repay you for that. Or maybe I can.
I want you to forget me. Forget I ever came into your life. The easiest way for me to help you do that is to leave and tell no one where I am or where I’m going. I once told you that I want you for always and that will never change in my heart. I just can’t be what you deserve. Live your life to the fullest and never regret one day. I love you,
Xander
Ava slidto the floor in the entryway cradling the letter in her hands. Wet drops spattered onto the tile as her sobbing became almost uncontrollable. He was never coming back. At least before this, she thought they had a chance even if she hadn’t heard from him. This made it final. She was never going to see him again, and he was the only one she wanted.
