The dilemma

Ava's smile faded, her gaze lowering to her fingertips as a cloud of sorrow passed over her face. "Things between Dylan and me have reached a point where I can't imagine returning to him." She forced a faint smile. "Yes, I can see the changes in him. He is trying, and that's good. But there are some wounds that time can only heal, not erase. The pain in the heart may dull but forgetting everything as if it never happened – that's impossible. A shattered glass can't be pieced back together. Neither can a broken heart."

Lilianna didn't say anything. She observed her, feeling her pain. "I understand," she finally said. "It's not easy to forgive, let alone forget. But if your decision to keep your distance from Dylan is because of Erica's return, then I think you might misunderstand him. He has his plan to expose her. That's why he allowed her to return."

"Exposing Erica!" Ava repeated, confusion mingling with disbelief. She had never thought of this possibility.