Chloe's POV

Before I could gather my senses and figure out who had yanked me so violently, someone dragged me across the floor by my hair. The grip was tight and unrelenting, making my scalp burn. My vision blurred as I tried to get a good look at my attacker.

"You think you can steal him from me? Who do you think you are?" The woman’s voice rang out, shrill and full of venom.

Before I could respond, Mason rushed forward, prying her hands away from my hair. "Ashley, stop it!" he hissed, dragging her back. She kicked and screamed, her wild eyes glaring at me with pure hatred.

By now, a few patrons at the bar had turned their attention toward us, whispering among themselves. I was still on the floor, momentarily stunned by the sheer absurdity of the situation. I rubbed my head, wincing at the pain, then slowly looked up.

Ashley, huh? She looked about twenty-six, with deep blue eyes that sparkled with fury and short blonde hair that barely grazed her chin. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she tried to catch her breath, her expression a mix of rage and heartbreak.

"What the hell is going on?" I muttered, adjusting my sunglasses back onto my face. "And who the hell are you?"

Ashley glared at me, her hands clenched into tight fists. “Don’t play dumb with me, you homewrecker!” she spat, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and emotion. “How dare you show your face here with my fiancé?”

Fiancé? I blinked, realization dawning on me. Oh, this was rich. Mason has a fiancée? And she thinks I’m Ava. This just keeps getting better. I bit back a grin, amused at the unexpected twist.

Mason tried to calm her down, whispering something in her ear. "Ashley, please. This isn’t what you think—"

"Don’t you dare tell me what to think!" she cut him off, jerking her arm away from his grasp. Her eyes locked onto mine, seething with unspoken accusations. “I came all the way from Philly because I heard from my friend that you’ve been parading around New York with some girl like a love-struck puppy. And now I see it’s true! Who is she, huh?” She pointed at me, her voice rising with every word. "Who is this Ava wannabe?"

I stood up slowly, dusting off my dress with a composed air. "First of all," I said, my tone cool and measured, "you’ve got the wrong person. I’m not Ava." I gave her a pointed look, enjoying the confusion flickering across her face. "And secondly… well, never mind. You seem a little too emotional to hear the truth right now."

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Don’t you dare mock me!" she snapped, stepping forward, but Mason held her back firmly.

“Ashley, calm down!” Mason growled, clearly frustrated. “You’re making a scene!”

“Oh, I’m making a scene?” she shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I think the scene started when you decided to cheat on me, Mason. How could you?”

The tension in the air was raging hot, and I couldn’t help but chuckle softly. Fate was truly working in my favor. I didn’t need Mason anymore. No, I had something or someone better—a scorned woman with nothing to lose. Hell hath no fury like a woman betrayed, right?

With deliberate calm, I walked over to Ashley, placing a light hand on her shoulder. Her body stiffened under my touch, but she didn’t pull away. Leaning in close, I whispered so only she could hear, "I’m not your enemy, sweetheart. The person you’re looking for is Ava Miller."

Her eyes darted toward me, suspicion mixing with curiosity. I slipped a card into her hand discreetly before Mason could notice. "Call me," I said softly. "We might be able to help each other."

Straightening up, I turned back to Mason, flashing him an innocent smile. "You know what, Mr Brown? I think it’s best if we hold off on our… plans for now. Seems like you’ve got a lot on your plate." I glanced at Ashley meaningfully. "You should probably focus on fixing things with her first."

Mason opened his mouth to protest, but I didn’t give him the chance. "We’ll talk later," I added breezily, then turned on my heel and walked out of the bar, ignoring the stares of the onlookers.

As soon as I stepped outside, the warm breeze hit my face, and I stretched my arms in satisfaction. "What a beautiful miracle," I murmured to myself. Who would have thought Mason had a fiancée? Better yet, who would have thought she’d be so eager to fight for him? I had a feeling Ashley would be very interested in my plan once she learned the whole truth.

“We could be best friends!” I said out loud with a bright mischievous smile.

I didn’t need Mason anymore. No, I had someone far more useful. A woman driven by heartbreak and rage could strike harder than any scheming lover. She's just like me.

And with Ashley’s help, I’d finally have the perfect ally to take Ava down for good.

Just as I was about to hail a cab, I saw a very familiar face make her way towards my direction and called her attention. "Long time no see, Mrs Miller,” I greeted with a smirk.

She turned slowly, already knowing it was me. Her greatest nightmare. She stood there, a faint smile playing on her lips as our eyes met, her eyes sharp and composed as ever.

"Well, well," I drawled, taking a step closer. "Look who decided to cross paths with me. Ava Miller in the flesh. How’s life treating you these days?" I asked sweetly, though my tone was laced with sarcasm.

Ava’s smile didn’t falter. "Oh, you know. Same old, same old. But you… you look like you’re up to something as usual."

I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice to a whisper. "You have no idea. But don’t worry, Ava. You’ll find out soon enough."

Her smile wavered ever so slightly, but she quickly composed herself. "I'm so not looking forward to it," she said smoothly with a mocking smile. She stole one more glance at my direction as though I'm not worthy of her attention, before turning on her heel and walking away.

I hate her.

I watched her go, a thrill coursing through me. This game was about to get a whole lot more interesting. And I couldn’t wait to see how it played out.