The energy at the University of Phoenix stadium in Glendale, Arizona was unreal. It was the night of all nights, the most anticipated annual WWE event. It was the night where dreams came true, the moment every professional wrestler worked for. It was Wrestlemania, the 26th actually and it was the night when John Cena would reclaim his beloved and coveted WWE championship title. Less than a month shy of his 33rd birthday, he had done it all. Actor, hip hop musician, bodybuilder and college graduate all adorned his more than desirable resume but sports entertainment was his first and true love.

John Felix Anthony Cena had been born into a middle class family in West Newbury, Massachusetts to John and Carol Cena. The second oldest, he and his four brothers Dan, Matt, Steve and Sean had been a close knit and rambunctious bunch. He lived a happy and normal life and became a standout football player at his prep school. His athletics continued in college where he graduated with a degree in exercise physiology before moving out to California with three hundred dollars in his pocket.

The story had been told over and over in various interviews. The world knew about the young man who had competed as a bodybuilder and worked odd jobs like driving limousines to pay the bills as he pursued a lifelong passion for professional wrestling. His father had broken into the business back East as a promoter and John began training in 2000 with Ultimate Pro Wrestling. Just one year later he inked a developmental deal with the WWE and eventually went to their developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling.

His biggest break came with a televised match in June of 2002 against Kurt Angle and the rest had been history. He had enjoyed success and longevity in the business he loved. He became a household name and fan favorite with multiple title reigns. Professionally he was on top of the world and he had a personal life that seemed to imitate art but 2007 proved to be a difficult year filled with triumph and tragedy.

It started the fateful night of October 1st in a match against Mr. Kennedy. He was executing a simple hip toss, a move he had performed perfectly thousands of times before, one he could do in his sleep. But something had gone awfully, horribly wrong. The pain that ripped through his body had been indescribable and unbearable. Knowing deep in his heart that something was off, he soldiered through the performance only to learn that his pectoral muscle had been separated from the bone. The bad news was that surgery would be required with an estimated seven month recovery time. It was dreadful news for the young Superstar but he had no idea it was just the beginning of what would be a difficult few months.

When the chips were down, John could take comfort in the fact that his family always had his back. They kept him grounded and their bond was tangible. His love for them was powerful only matched by his love for the young lady he had met in high school by the name of Elizabeth Huberdeau. For years it had been on again, off again, the years filled with love, passion, friendship, envy, and betrayal. In his heart he had never stopped believing they were made for each other, even in the darkest of hours.

Liz was a free spirit. She was loud and wild. She liked to have fun. She marched to the beat of her own drum and didn't give a damn what other people thought or said about her. She was funny and loving and the combination was what made John fall in love with her in the first place. Well known for his unrelenting work ethic, John partied and played just as hard as he worked. Liz was one of the few people who could keep up with him. They loved to party, they loved to drink, they loved to argue and more than all of that, they loved the make-up sex that always followed.

The couple had gone through their fair share of ups and downs. They often broke up and made up shortly thereafter. Even when he had moved to California and they had dated other people, their friendship remained and the two had kept in touch. She understood and respected his dream and supported him in every way but quickly found out the harsh reality of being a WWE significant other. The fame and money were just some of the many perks. Of course she was happy that he was succeeding at doing something he loved but there was a flip side to it. He was always busy. The demanding schedule kept him on the road four to five days a week every week. When he was away he was often too busy with training, media appearances, and shows to talk on the phone. The pain of missing an absentee boyfriend was at times too much but for Liz the true heartbreak came as rumors of infidelity began to rear their ugly head.

It was no secret that during the years the couple had cheated on each other. As they got older and became more committed, it was unspoken sentiment that those turbulent days were long behind them. But the Internet blogs and websites ran rampant with firsthand accounts of repeated one night stands with groupies or ringrats as they were affectionately known in the wrestling world. It had been heartbreaking news for Liz who dealt with her own pain by living by the philosophy that two could play at that game. She enjoyed her own hookups and the parallel stories of both partners cheating always came full circle, culminating in loud and heated arguments.

In early 2007, everything changed. For John it had started out a morning like any other morning but things had quickly changed. The WWE had been in Houston, Texas and after the show, the guys on the roster had gone out to a local club. It was a familiar scene. The boys were given VIP treatment and the fans, particularly the women, gravitated to them like moths to flames. In addition to being a television star and known for his breakout leading role in the feature film The Marine, John, thanks to his good looks and considerable charm, had never had a problem when it came to attracting the ladies. A cute little blonde with a smoking hot body had sauntered her way over to his table and thus the night had begun.

They had laughed, talked and flirted as the alcohol flowed freely. She was hot and more importantly, she was into him. After a few hours of steaming it up on the dance floor, he had let his hands slide down her toned arms over the smooth material that covered her flat stomach. His fingertips grazed the bare skin and by the way she grinded herself into his body, he knew he had her hook, line, and sinker. As if he didn't know where the night would end up already, the deal was sealed as he made his way down her thighs and she guided his hand up her skirt to reveal the fact that she was conveniently sans underwear.

The night had ended up with kinky sex in every feasible position in his king sized hotel bed. Exhausted and intoxicated, he had drifted off to sleep. The sunlight woke him up the next day hours before the alarm clock could. He was slightly hung over but more coherent than he had been in a long time. He stared down at the woman draped across his chest. For the life of him he couldn't remember her name and for the first time ever, that really bothered him. Who was the stranger sleeping next to him?

He didn't love her, he didn't even know her well enough to like her. It was just another night in a vicious, redundant circle. At first it had been fun and exciting, living out every man's wildest fantasies. But things had changed. He was getting older. Even his good friend and fellow man whore, Randy Orton, had mellowed out and settled down, leaving behind the life of one night stands with pretty but nameless women. And Randy had never looked back or been happier. He had his soul mate and that was all that mattered. Most people would kill for that kind of connection, that kind of love. John had it and he was throwing it all away.

That morning he made a promise to himself. No more. He was done. His next trip home a few days later, he sat Liz down and confessed all of his mistakes and misdeeds. He had apologized profusely and told her that he loved her and that he wanted to change. He wanted a clean slate for both of them. They both had screwed up but that was the past. They were older now. He loved her more than ever and wanted the ultimate commitment . With tears streaming down both their faces, he had gotten down on one night with a beautiful three carat diamond ring and proposed marriage. She had accepted and it was the beginning of a new and beautiful chapter in their lives. Or so he thought.

The pectoral injury only intensified his resolve to get back to the ring that much quicker. No way could John Cena sit by idly for seven months and twiddle his thumbs. He missed it too much. He missed the crowds and the feeling of entertaining the masses. He missed the tremendous sense of accomplishment. He was more determined than ever to come back better than ever and with the support and love of his friends and family, nothing was impossible.

Then it had happened. Soon after the proposal, Liz had moved permanently to Tampa, Florida to live with him but on a visit back to Massachusetts in a Boston bar, the duo had sat at a table with a group of friends they had known since childhood. One of them included a man named Ben Morton, a casual acquaintance a few years younger than John. As the crew laughed and reminisced about old times, John couldn't help but notice the tension between his fiancée and the man he had played football with more than a decade before. The tension was not angry but almost seemed sexual. The vibe was uncomfortable but he tried to ignore it. Back in Florida there were hushed phone calls and the nagging suspicion that loomed in his heart but there was no concrete proof. He and Liz were in love and there was significant history there. When they were together, things were good. They were more than good, in fact it was as if they were the only two people on the planet.

His beloved grandmother Catherine had told him once that there was nothing quite like the sixth sense of a woman's intuition. Something beyond explanation had driven John to tune in that same intuition just a few days after Thanksgiving. It had started with a series of secretive phone calls all day long. Then a hard rain had drenched the city. He had tried to remain calm, cool and collected as Liz had casually dressed in workout clothes and announced she was going to an evening Yogalates class. Something had forced him to grab his keys and making himself as inconspicuous as possible, he had followed her to her destination. The brand new BMW he had purchased for her bypassed the turn for the gym and instead headed to a hotel downtown. With his heart breaking, the rain pouring and his body aching, John Cena had watched the love of his life begin a full fledged make out session with Ben Morton.

He ended the relationship and engagement as soon as she had come home that night. After days of trying to talk things out, both had decided that they go their separate ways. Without protest and with plenty of tear filled apologies, Liz had returned up north, leaving John an empty, broken man. Refusing to give in to bitterness, he had thrown himself into his physical recovery and two months later, he made a surprise and triumphant return to the Royal Rumble pay per view. It all had been a life changing experience and much had been put into perspective. John had a newfound appreciation and respect for his career. It became his life, his very reason for being. For the time, women, serious relationships, casual dating and one night stands alike, were put on the backburner. He needed female complications like he needed a hole in his head.

Desperately wanting to escape the bad memories, he abruptly put his house on the market and opted for a mansion in the beautiful gated community of Land O' Lakes. It was extravagant and he had spared no expense when it came to decorating the pad. He had contacted the best interior design firm in Tampa to handle the job but had mixed up his days and ended up missing the appointment with the head designer. Sheepishly, he had shown up two days later and had been greeted by one of the most beautiful women he had ever laid eyes on. With beautiful bronze skin and chestnut brown hair, she had introduced herself as Ava Warner. She had warm brown eyes and a gorgeous smile. She had invited him in and he had chuckled the entire time. She was nervous but he thought it was cute. She fidgeted in her seat and cursed out loud when she broke a nail on her can of Diet Dr. Pepper.

Smirking, he had let her know not to be intimidated by the fact that he was a big star. Ava had only frowned. She had no idea who he was. She was nervous because it was her first week on the job and he was her first prospective client. They had both shared an embarrassed laugh and at that moment, John knew she was the woman for the job. He hired her on the spot and her talent and knack for style had not disappointed him. Within a month, the house was decked out and on the final day, sad about the possibility of never seeing the pretty designer again, John had offered to take her out for dinner to thank her for a job well done. They had gone out and after that night had been inseparable. She was intelligent, sweet, motivated, charming, funny, and gorgeous. She was modest and unassuming and he had fallen fast for her. The fact that she had made him wait nine months for sex had been the icing on the cake. It hadn't bothered him at all, in fact, he hadn't even thought about another woman. Ava was all he needed.

He loved the fact that she had her own job, own home, own car, own friends and own life but he wanted more than anything for her to be a part of his world, the biggest part. He couldn't see life without her and wanted to make an honest woman of her. He invited his entire family down to Florida for his 32nd birthday party and to meet the special, new woman in his life. They had instantly taken to her and vice versa. When Grandma Catherine gave him the thumbs up, all trepidation instantly disappeared. On a rare three days off, he had whisked her away to Hawaii. After a his and her spa day, they had gone to dinner. When they returned to their private bungalow, he had asked her to meet him on the lanai. He let her walk out first and smiled to himself as she let out an audible gasp. In candles, the phrase John loves Ava was spelled out on the sand. When she turned around, he was on bended knee for the second time in his life, with a four carat pink diamond engagement ring in hand.

"You ready, babe?"

He turned and looked at Ava. She was so beautiful, he would never get tired of looking at her. She knew how important Wrestlemania week was to him and to the business and she had taken off work to accompany him. Having her by his side was like having a 5'4" 110 pound personal good luck charm.

"Live fast, fight hard, no regrets. It's Wrestlemania. I'm ready. I'll see you when I get back."

She put his larger hand in hers.

"I'll be waiting," she smiled. "Be careful out there, John. I love you."

John was more than ready. It was Wrestlemania and he was about to reclaim his belt. More importantly, it was just a couple weeks away from his wedding. He had his girl by his side on a night when dreams came true. Life had never been so normal or so happy. Or so right.

"Love you, too,"