AVA
She felt as if she might faint as she looked at the waiter.
That was until he stepped closer, and she saw that the man wasn't Maxim at all—far from it. It had only been their similar heights and hair color that had made her brain mistake the guy for her ex-boyfriend .
She took a deep, calming breath, realizing that this was probably what had happened earlier.
It comforted Ava to know that—that she wasn't losing her mind.
But as she stood there without saying anything, she quickly realized that everyone was staring at her expectantly.
Mandy was looking at her more gleefully than anyone else, probably thinking she was choking.
Blinking only three times, Ava forced herself to continue speaking.
"Thank you for your attention, everyone," she said, her voice only slightly wobbly. "I have a special surprise for my parents, but before that, I'd like to say a few words in honor of this occasion."
Ava's parents smiled at her, while others gave similar enthusiastic responses.
The attention made Ava's throat tighten slightly, but she quickly cleared it. She didn't want mess this up more than she had already.
She made herself focus on her parents as she began the speech, which made it easier for her to speak.
"Twenty years."
Ava looked around at everyone.
"That's how long my parents have been together. But honestly, that number doesn't even begin to capture what it really means to share your life with someone for so many years."
Her gaze shifted to her parents.
"It is my pleasure to say that I've spent my entire life watching them and seeing their relationship unfold. I've seen my parents support each other, take care of each other, and love each other despite all the problems life threw at them."
"There were some difficult times—don't get me wrong. Like that time I ran away from my dad at the mall when I was five, only to be found hours later by my mom at a Lego store," Ava said, earning a few laughs.
"But those moments were few and far between, and they were never strong enough to break them apart. Because no matter what happened, no matter how hard things became, my parents always found their way back to each other. They cherished each other very much and were always willing to fight to remain by each other's side."
"I feel so incredibly lucky because I know that not every child gets the chance to grow up watching a relationship so strong and... so beautiful."
Ava then raised her glass.
"So let's all raise a toast to my parents, Harvey and Audrey. Thank you for showing us what true love looks like. Happy twentieth wedding anniversary. I hope you have many more wonderful years together."
"To Harvey and Audrey," everyone echoed, raising their glasses.
The room filled with cheers and applause as Ava's parents walked over to her and pulled her into a tight hug, each kissing her forehead.
After the applause died down and her parents let her go, Ava looked from her parents toward the large screen behind them.
"And now..." she said with a grin. "I have one more surprise."
She gestured toward the television.
"I spent quite a bit of time putting this together, so I hope you both enjoy this video."
With that, the slideshow began playing on the television screen, accompanied by a soft Spanish love song that was her mother's favorite.
They all watched the video with eager expressions.
It began with faded photographs of Audrey and Harvey as young university students, awkwardly smiling beside each other. The pictures slowly progressed through the years—their wedding day, the birth of Ava, family vacations, birthdays, graduations, and countless ordinary moments that somehow felt extraordinary because they had shared them together.
The slideshow wasn't very long, lasting only as long as the soft Spanish love song that accompanied it, which was about three minutes.
When it ended, everyone was smiling, and the room erupted into warm applause.
Audrey was already dabbing at her eyes with a tissue before the music had even faded.
She sighed as she wrapped an arm around Ava.
"I have raised such a thoughtful daughter."
Harvey wrapped his arms around both of them.
"Your mother's right," he said with a smile. "That was the best anniversary gift we could have asked for."
"I'm glad you guys liked it," Ava said.
Audrey groaned and tilted her face upward.
"Oh no, now I'm actually going to cry."
She immediately began fanning her face dramatically, earning a chuckle from her husband.
Ava couldn't help smiling too.
Her mother had always been just a little dramatic.
Harvey looked at his daughter with unmistakable pride.
"I hope," he said softly, "that twenty years from now you'll have something like this too, little one."
He glanced toward Blake.
"Maybe with him."
Ava forced herself to keep smiling, hoping it looked more genuine than it was.
The truth was...
Whenever she imagined herself twenty years into the future, Blake wasn't there.
In fact, no one was.
For the longest time, every dream she'd had about marriage had involved Maxim.
Now that this wasn't an option, her dreams simply... didn't exist anymore.
The orchestra began playing again, pulling Ava from her thoughts.
She smiled at her parents.
"I'm going to dance with Blake. I promised him do so in return of his help with the slideshow."
She then pointed at the two of them.
"And you two should be dancing too. It is your anniversary, after all."
Harvey immediately offered Audrey his hand.
"What do you say, babe?" he asked warmly. "Do you still have the energy for one more dance with me?"
Audrey laughed.
"For you? Always."
Rolling her eyes affectionately, Ava left them behind.
She weaved through the guests, searching for Blake.
Ava felt a lightness of spirit as she walked.
Now that she knew for a fact that the waiter hadn't been Maxim—and her speech was also over—she felt more sure of herself.
Maybe it really had all been nerves, she thought.
And maybe her mind had simply conjured up Maxim's face because she'd seen him yesterday in the courtroom. It certainly couldn't mean anything else, she realized.
Spotting Blake laughing with his mother in a corner, Ava started over to them.
Whatever confusing thoughts lingered inside her heart, Ava decided that she was going to have fun with Blake tonight.
She was only a few steps away when a heeled foot appeared in her path.
It was Mandy.
Everything that happened next did so in an instant.
Ava tried her best to avoid the foot, but her balance disappeared beneath her.
She stumbled forward.
"Shit!"
Blake spun around just in time.
He lunged toward her, catching her as she fell.
Unfortunately, the force of her fall threw him off balance as well.
The two of them crashed onto the floor together with a loud thud.
A collective gasp echoed throughout the room. People looked at the couple with concern.
Imogen, in particular, looked petrified.
"Blake! Ava!" she exclaimed. "Are you two alright?"
Hearing her, Ava slowly lifted her head from Blake's arm, which was still protectively wrapped around her, shielding her from the worst of the impact.
"I'm okay," she said quietly before looking at Blake. "Are you?"
He gave her an easy smile.
"Yeah."
Ava immediately knew he was lying.
She knew he'd taken the brunt of the fall.
Freaking Mandy, Ava thought looking at the girl's smug expression. She now realized that the only reason the girl had come back was to ruin the party for her too.
As if on cue, a sharp crack suddenly echoed across the room.
Everyone turned to the source of the sound.
Mandy stood frozen, one hand covering her reddening cheek.
Standing before her was her mother.
"You troublesome girl!" Mrs. Lewis snapped. "You did this on purpose! How dare you try to trip Ava?"
"I didn't!" Mandy cried, tears already forming. "It was an accident!"
"Don't lie to me. I saw exactly what you did."
She pointed toward the front door.
"Leave. Right now. Before you embarrass yourself—and me—even more."
For a brief moment, Mandy looked ready to argue.
Then her mother flexed her fingers, preparing for another slap.
Mandy's courage vanished.
She spun around and fled the party, sobbing.
Once she was gone, Mrs. Lewis turned toward Harvey, Audrey, Ava, and Blake.
"I'm so terribly sorry, everyone," she said, visibly ashamed. "I don't know what gets into that girl sometimes."
Ava immediately felt bad for the woman, sensing how humiliated she must feel.
"It's alright," Harvey assured Mrs. Lewis gently. "None of this is your fault."
While the older people spoke, Ava sighed and pushed herself onto her knees, grateful to see that her dress wasn't dusty.
She stood upright before extending her hand toward Blake.
He accepted it with a grin.
"Thanks."
He winced slightly as she pulled him upright.
"I suddenly feel like an old man."
Ava giggled when he said this.
After Blake stood up and straightened his suit jacket...
Something slipped from the inside pocket.
Both of them noticed it at the exact same moment.
Blake's eyes widened.
He immediately reached for the object—
—but he was too late.
The small velvet box tumbled onto the floor.
It landed with a soft thud.
For a moment, no one moved, taken aback by unexpected appearance of the box.
Ava stared down at the floor, her skin turning pale.
Blake did the same.
Very slowly...
...the lid of the box fell open.
A diamond engagement ring rested inside.