Chapter 20: Worlds Apart

Sarah, armed with Chloe's number and a healthy dose of intrigue, dialed the number. It rang twice before a breathless voice answered."Hello?""Chloe? Hi, my name is Sarah. I'm Liam Blackwood's assistant."A squeal erupted from the other end of the line, followed by a breathless, "Oh. My. God. Is this about Ava?"Sarah chuckled. "It seems my boss has a knack for finding himself in complicated situations.""Complicated is an understatement," Chloe declared. "This is epic, Shakespearean levels of complicated. Romeo and Juliet, but with less poison and more awkward supermarket encounters."Sarah laughed. "Well, perhaps we can avoid the tragic ending. Liam saw Ava in London, and, well, let's just say old feelings have resurfaced. He's struggling with how to approach the situation, and he was hoping you might be able to shed some light on Ava's feelings.""Oh, honey, you came to the right place," Chloe said, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Ava is a fortress, a master of disguise when it comes to her emotions. But I'm her best friend, her confidante, the keeper of all her secrets. And let me tell you, she's just as messed up about Liam as he seems to be about her."Sarah felt a surge of hope. "So, she still has feelings for him?""Absolutely. Though she'd sooner walk across hot coals than admit it." Chloe paused, then added, "Look, Ava's a girl from a small town, built herself up from nothing. She's fiercely independent, driven, and absolutely hates the idea of being seen as someone who relies on a man, especially a man like Liam.""Because of his wealth and status?" Sarah asked, understanding dawning."Exactly," Chloe confirmed. "She rejected Liam partly because she felt their worlds were too different. She didn't want to be seen as a gold digger, didn't want to owe him anything. Ava wants to make it on her own terms, through her own hard work and intelligence. She wants to stand on equal footing with him, not be in his shadow."Sarah absorbed this information, realizing the challenge Liam faced. Winning Ava back wasn't just about overcoming the hurt of the past, it was about proving to her that he saw her for who she was, not for what she could gain from being with him."I understand," Sarah said slowly. "This is more than just a simple reconciliation.""You got that right," Chloe said with a sigh. "Ava is a force of nature. Liam has his work cut out for him."After ending the call with Chloe, Sarah immediately dialed Liam's number. He picked up on the first ring."Sarah?""I spoke to Chloe," she said, and proceeded to relay the conversation, emphasizing Ava's fierce independence and her desire to achieve success on her own merits.Liam listened in silence, absorbing the information. He understood Ava's perspective, her pride, her determination. He'd always admired those qualities in her, even when they were the very things that pushed him away."So, what do you think?" Sarah asked tentatively.A long pause followed. Sarah could practically hear the gears turning in Liam's head as he processed the new information.Finally, he responded with a single, noncommittal "Hmm." And then the line went dead.Sarah stared at her phone, a mixture of amusement and exasperation swirling within her. Leave it to Liam Blackwood to leave her hanging like that. He was a man of few words, especially when it came to matters of the heart. But one thing was clear: this was far from over. The game was on, and both players were formidable opponents. Sarah settled back in her chair, eager to see how this complex game of love and ambition would unfold.