CHAPTER 263: CHAPTER 263 GOOD THINGS HAPPEN

Ava’s POV

The week was going great with excellent sales numbers, but I’d lost my daily shopping center companion. Nina had left her cosmetics store after telling me that Joseph had offered her a job at Puma Global following his extravagant purchase.

"Twenty-eight thousand dollars of makeup," she’d told me with a wicked grin. "The man’s got it bad for you, Ava."

I was really happy for her because tripling her salary was an amazing opportunity. But now I was alone dealing with my difficult coworkers.

Just yesterday, Cybele, Cynthia, and Laura had all disappeared when it was time for inventory. They left me to count and organize everything by myself. When I mentioned it to the manager, she said she "talked to them." But nothing changed.

"You don’t need to stay so late tonight," Cybele had said with fake sweetness this morning. "We’ll handle the new shipment."

"Right," I replied. I didn’t believe her for a second.

I definitely needed to update my resume and start looking for something better. My business degree was sitting there doing nothing while I folded sweaters and dealt with stupid workplace drama.

On Wednesday, Antonio asked me to lunch, wanting to introduce me to his girlfriend, a sweet and extremely talkative girl named Mia who seemed completely enamored with Joseph’s nephew. After lunch, when we stopped at the store entrance, Antonio turned to me with his uncle’s charming smile.

"Auntie Ava, you look so beautiful!" he said to me. I could tell he wanted something from me, so I started laughing.

"I cannot come to the mall next week," he told me. "It is exam week. My mom will be very angry if I do not study."

"Okay, sweetheart. But why are you saying this to me?" I asked him. I thought I knew what he wanted to ask me.

"Because I want to ask you for something."

"I am listening to you."

"Please, go on a date with my uncle," he said. "He wants to send you notes again next week. I do not want to feel embarrassed anymore!" Antonio put his hands together in front of his face. This made me laugh.

"Okay! I will drink coffee with him tomorrow," I said. "But I will make him wait a little bit more first."

"Thank you, Auntie!"

I said goodbye to Antonio and Mia.

That evening, I met Eleanor and Caroline for dinner at a small bistro downtown. I had been staying at my mother’s place since I broke up with Isaac, but most of my things were still at Isaac’s apartment. I could not lose those things.

After we ordered our food, Eleanor looked at me carefully. "Okay, what is wrong? You have been moving around in your chair all night."

"Is it Joseph?" Caroline asked quickly. "Is he pressuring you? I’ll make him back off if he’s making you uncomfortable."

"No, no," I said fast. "Joseph is actually... he is fine." He was more than fine if I was being honest with myself. "It is something else."

I told them about Isaac and our bad breakup. I explained how he cheated on me with my coworker. I said that most of my important things were still in his apartment.

"That terrible man," Caroline said. Her face looked angry. "Men can be such monsters."

She drank some of her wine. Then she kept talking. "My ex boyfriend cheated on me with my sister because I do not have a scent. He said he needed a real wolf who could make him happy."

I felt bad for her. I understood how she felt. "That is even worse than what Isaac did to me."

"The important thing is," Caroline said. She reached over and held my hand. "Do not let anyone make you feel bad because of something you cannot control. Not having a wolf does not say who you are, Ava. Look at yourself. You are smart. You dress well. And you have us."

These women accepted me even though I had only known them for a short time. This made me want to cry. "Thank you," I said quietly.

"So what will you do to get your things back?" Eleanor asked.

"That is the problem. I got a restraining order against him after he started bothering me. I am afraid that if I go alone and he finds me, he will hurt me."

"Do not worry," Eleanor said. She took out her phone. "My boyfriend Nate is in town. He can help us get your things tonight."

One hour later, Nate came to the restaurant. He was tall with dark hair and warm brown eyes. He looked like someone who could fight if he needed to. He was also very polite. He said hello to me nicely and offered to help me right away.

"Any friend of Eleanor’s is a friend of mine," he said.

That night, we went to Isaac’s apartment. Nate brought his SUV. Caroline and Eleanor stayed close to me like bodyguards. We took every single thing that belonged to me. Isaac was not home. He was probably out messing around. But Nate watched everything the whole time. He was ready to help if there was trouble.

When we put the last box in the car, I felt much better.

"I cannot thank you all enough," I said. My voice sounded like I wanted to cry.

"That is what friends do," Caroline said and hugged me.

"If you have any problems in the future, you can tell me," Eleanor said sincerely. "Especially if Joseph makes you unhappy or hurts you. I will kick his ass even if he is my boss."

I could not help but laugh out loud.

"Thank you," I said gratefully. "It means a lot to me."

We drove away from Isaac’s apartment building. I looked out at the nighttime streets of Harbor Bay. Even with all the problems I had, I felt hopeful.

I had new good friends. They were warm and kind people without prejudice.

This was the first time since I came to this city that I felt like I might have found a place where I belonged.