y on her, smiled wryly at Noah's stunned express

fingers, "Ava, are you kidding me? Are you a chi

hand away from her fac

om, but I'll wait for Piper to do

you told her? I bet she g

n instantly was irrational, but her stan

It was either that or I

nsider me as a friend? I'd have arranged a place for you to spend

nform us before making

kidding, you didn't even tell us, your s

rom his past traumatic ex

y did. He was unreliable, useless, and that was

to defend herself, bu

means to you, Ava." With that, he turned on his heel,

out. She was making her way into Ava Bak

greeting. Ava's decision almost

y they weren't at work yesterday, Ava wa

about the impulsive decision sh

briskly to his shop. She saw the rednes

Bakies, and stood many feet away

ood up to welcome

r shushed her best frien

any other choice," Ava's lips quivered as she spoke. "I called my mother for

s voice cracked with hurt, her

n't get the fact that busi

e comes in here except that Liam

derstand how your father's illne

you chose to go throu

our faces. I asked you to tell me if you needed anything, but you d

you, yet you refused! Then you trusted a stranger,

unfair to us

er heel, and left Ava's shop afte

udly in Ava's head, even

ders sagged under the weight

ere was anything

he was now a married woman, an

om her friends at the shop, Ethan faced a starkly dif

o get some interesting information ab

Liam asked, "So, what's it like? Does your wife suspect any

k, and felt like Liam's presence

attend to at your office? It's the start of the

sit around all da

asking about your new status? You could just te

nd lowered his voice, "Did you fulfill yo

s sentence, Ethan slammed his desk, and

ps curled upwards in a smile. Ethan's reaction wa

tered on his cheek, "See you at lunch,

Liam who was quicker

back on Ethan's table and said, "I'll order some pastrie

's office a f

Ava Bakies to place an order for a box of D

st?" Liam asked as he s

t a notepad to jot down his order. Ava would not let the fallout sh

moment before say

obviously finish the box

t he knew, he would recommend her business more often to h

were too good

astries, and a box of ci

ust send the dispat

overly nice to her because sh

e made the hasty decision to marry a stra

now." Ava smiled, and waited for Liam to hang up. A

, Ava rolled up her sleeves to t

nd within two hours, the pastries were

hly baked pastrie

ew minutes after Ava had cal

cessary information from Ava, he hea

airs saying that he had an order. Liam asked for the bo

and eat with Ethan

was great

do, Ava began writing the list of groc

. Since she basically wasn't a picky eater, h

der, so she wasn't expecting any other orders f

only a few min

uld focus on reviving her business withou

nd began drafting new strateg

art off with

be renovated as the designs were never c

a loan from the bank to get that done lat

brain for more ideas to grow

ring,

. It was her mother who blocked

lined t

mes before Ava received the c

"What do you mean by what? Didn't you see that I've be

.. I don't even think I should call you mom, but you

, and what did you do about that? You went o

ted out, and you're only calling me today. I don't want t

y Ava's words. "Like you're getting any bu

you. As your mother, you're supposed to pay me a

y left because your father no longer took care of me. Now it's your turn to

pen, as she fought back the urge to

r for money right after tr

ad, not you. So please hang up be

h you! What do you mean you don't owe me anything? I've been considerate, and n

and you dare say this to my face? You owe me $5,000 monthly. Just know

through the window to see if

deed walking tow

k all she wanted, but Ava would n

Liam's order, so she didn't even have

n over the years, that she did not want to be a part

n as Mrs Waverly ste

a spark of defiance ignited within her. Afterward

," Mrs Waverly said after she got into the shop and Ava cont

rs Waverly, and stood beside Ava. She had seen Mrs W

g bag of trouble, so she came

a Bakies? Would you like to place a

tend to? I'm here to see my daughter, so get out!" Mrs Waverly s

ronment, ma'am. We know you're a little bit psy

ed at Pipe

p frown. Her deep grumbles could be hea

per, Mrs Waverly's hand descen

by Ava who would not sit and

s away, pointing an accusing finger at h

y seethed

e of the list Ava penned

on was the estimated to

glanced through what was written down. It was a sh

er to ask for ren

s when Ava snatched the paper from her. Since she alrea

stranded. Thank God I paid you no heed! Here you are, writing

ou're just so heartless to your own daughter, yo

op her. Ava didn't want her mother to know that she was ma

idn't no one ever tell me?"

uivalent to having no mother. Now leave

nst her, a small smile formed on her lips, "Whateve

money you were given? Try me, and see how I'll embarrass you in fro