Chapter 18: Grandma Announcement

"Can you please call him, Ava? Please, Ambrose has been trying a lot."

Ava sighed in resignation. "Fine, I will," she conceded reluctantly. She walked aside, retrieving her phone from her purse, and scrolled through her contacts until she found Ambrose's number, saved under his name. After a moment of hesitation, she tapped on his contact to call him, but then stopped herself.

"I won't call him," she muttered to herself, her resolve firming. "Let it not seem like I'm chasing after him. He has nowhere to go; he'll come back." With that, she placed her phone back in her purse and rejoined the party.

Meanwhile, outside the Ainsley manor, a white Corolla pulled up, and a neatly dressed young man stepped out—it was Jonathan Hale.

Earlier, Ava had texted Jonathan about the party, though she hadn't specified its purpose. Initially hesitant due to his inability to help Ava secure the deal, Jonathan decided to attend, unaware that Ava had already secured it and attributed it to him.

As Jonatha