(Ava’s POV)
Later that night, I stepped outside to clear my head. The chill in the evening air helped settle the storm of emotions that had been brewing inside me all day. I found a quiet spot on the bench in front of Dominic’s house, the soft glow of the garden lights casting gentle shadows across the plants and flowers. I leaned back and sighed, my mind replaying our earlier argument.
Dominic had meant well, but it didn’t make it any less infuriating that he’d made such a monumental decision without consulting me first. To him, it was about protecting me, but to me, it felt like yet another person taking control of my life, as if I was incapable of making my own choices.
The creak of the front door pulled me from my thoughts, and moments later, Dominic appeared. He walked toward me, h
