**Rowan** The evening I had envisioned with Emma had crumbled into a haze of turmoil the moment I spotted Ava on a date with Ethan. “Rowan?” Emma's voice broke through the fog, but my mind was too consumed by the sight before me to respond. Ava, radiant and enchanting, nestled comfortably in the embrace of another man. At first, disbelief washed over me. I had convinced myself that encountering Ethan with a woman, any woman, would validate my disdain for him. But that woman was Ava, the very source of my inner chaos. Her beauty was stunning, beyond anything I had ever witnessed. The delicate contours of her body hugged by a little black dress emphasized every curve, revealing a version of her I had never known. Sure, I had seen her in her most intimate form before, but tonight was different. She had adorned herself with elegance, a far cry from the moments we shared together when I had taken her for granted. I watched as Ethan tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. My heart raced, but not with jealousy; fury coursed through my veins as he caressed her cheek and kissed her forehead. That tender gesture ignited a blaze of possessiveness within me, one that I couldn’t shake off. Her smile, radiating warmth and joy directed at him, struck me deeply, sending me spiraling. “Rowan, you’re hurting me!” Emma’s voice snapped me out of my trance. Realizing my grip around her was too tight, I quickly loosened it, reluctant to have my attention drawn away from Ava. Our eyes met across the distance, but she averted hers hastily, slipping into Ethan's car. Anger surged through me, a desire to lash out, to break something—no, someone, particularly Ethan, into pieces. My emotions were tumultuous, a cauldron of rage directed towards him and myself for reacting so violently to the sight of Ava. Emma wrested her arm from my grip before storming away in palpable fury. I barely managed to stop her as she flagged down a taxi, and a part of me burned with frustration as she left. The tumult within me was confusing. I resented the connection blossoming between Ava and Ethan, but I couldn’t fathom why it sparked such fierce emotions in me. I knew Emma didn’t deserve any of this torment after everything I had put her through, yet I was powerless to label what I felt—especially concerning her sister. With a stormy mind, I climbed into my car and sped towards Emma's condo, knowing that was where she would be. Within minutes, I parked outside her building, my heart racing as I retrieved the spare key she had given me. I pushed the door open carefully to find her seated on the sofa, staring blankly at the wall, lost in her own thoughts. “Emma?” I spoke softly, attempting to break the tension. She turned to face me, her blue eyes red-rimmed and puffy. Guilt surged within me like a tidal wave—I had become the architect of her distress. This was the woman I had cherished since I understood what love truly meant, yet here I was, the cause of her heartache, despite my vow never to hurt her again. “What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice steadied, concealing her anguish beneath a calm façade. “I’m... I’m truly sorry for earlier…” “Are you?” Emma interrogated, her gaze piercing through me. “Do you have any idea how devastating it was to watch you moon over my sister? To see you fume when you realized she was out with another man?” The guilt gnawed at me, relentless and vicious. I should have managed my reaction to Ava—yet witnessing her with Ethan was a blow I hadn’t anticipated. “Emma…” I started, but she cut me off, rising to her feet. She began pacing, her hands gesturing animatedly, a sign of her frustration that she could neither hide nor contain. “Did you ever love her during our marriage? If that’s the case, why did you even bother asking me for another chance if your feelings for me were already extinguished?” Her voice broke, laden with betrayal. “I’m not in love with Ava!” The words escaped my lips with a growl. How could I ever think such a thing? “Are you sure? Because the way you act around her suggests otherwise,” she snapped. “We were married, Emma! I care for her, but it ends there,” I replied, desperation creeping into my tone. Then why did every thought of Ava with another man ignite a primal urge within me, a tug of war against the rage nestled in my chest? I shook those thoughts away, refusing to face them head-on. “You’re a liar. You’re in love with her. Just admit it!” she shouted, fury igniting the air between us, punctuated by the sudden flight of a book she hurled my way. I dodged just in time, watching it smash against the wall behind me. “Can you calm down and let me explain?” I snapped back, my patience wearing thin. “I don’t want your pathetic explanations—they’re full of lies!” she shrieked, her emotions pouring out of her. “Just go, Rowan! I can’t deal with you right now!” Defeated, she slumped back onto the sofa, her gaze fixated on the blank television screen. I wanted to stay, to hold her, but I knew better than to force my presence where it was not welcomed. As I stepped back into the night, the direction of my drive was a haze. My mind was a tangled mess of feelings, caught in a battle between two women who had turned my heart upside down. Emma was suffering, but Ava’s unexpected impact on me consumed my thoughts. I had everything I ever wanted, and yet, I was on the verge of unraveling the fragile connection I had with Emma. Why was Ava, the sister I had rejected in favor of her sibling, suddenly consuming my mind? The frustration bubbled within me—what the hell was happening? As I turned the corner, I found myself parked outside Ava’s house. I shook my head in disbelief. How had I ended up here? Yet, standing on her doorstep, a compulsion gripped me, an overwhelming need to see her, to confront whatever madness had taken root inside me. With urgency, I knocked on her door, the sound echoing in the stillness of the evening. “Did you forget something?” Ava opened the door, surprise washing over her as she looked up at me. Before she could utter another word, I pushed past her, locking the door behind me and crashing my lips against hers without waiting for an invitation. The kiss was desperate, filled with a hunger that threatened to bring me to my knees. Ava gasped in shock, and I seized that moment to deepen the connection, craving her warmth and presence, feeling her pulse beneath my fingertips. As I grasped her delicate waist, planning to lift her against me, she pushed me away with startling force. “What the hell, Rowan?” Ava exclaimed, her eyes wide, lips swollen and pink. She looked as conflicted as I felt, caught off guard and bewildered by my actions. The shock of her rejection jolted me back to reality. Without a word, I swung open the door and stormed back out, my heart pounding with anger—not just at her but primarily at myself. Climbing back into my car, confusion clouded my mind. What was I doing? I had crossed a line that I hadn’t even known was there. What was I becoming?