Chapter 2

Ava Sterling was in her office.

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooking the city.

Her city.

She was reviewing quarterly reports. Numbers. Data.

Things she understood. Things she controlled.

Her assistant, Sarah, knocked and entered.

"Ms. Sterling, a package just arrived for you. By courier."

Ava frowned. "I' m not expecting anything."

"It' s from a Mr. Liam Hayes," Sarah said, a little hesitantly.

Ava' s frown deepened. Liam.

Annoyance pricked at her. What now?

"Leave it," she said.

Sarah placed the slim manila envelope on her desk and left.

Ava stared at it for a moment.

Then, with a sigh of irritation, she picked it up.

It was light.

She tore it open.

Inside, a few folded sheets of paper.

Divorce papers.

Signed by Liam.

A small, elegant USB drive was clipped to them.

Ava felt a wave of something.

Relief.

Cold, clean relief.

It was done. Finally.

She reached for her pen, a sleek, expensive Montblanc.

Her signature was sharp, decisive.

No hesitation.

She buzzed Sarah. "Get these notarized and filed. Immediately."

"Yes, Ms. Sterling."

Ava leaned back in her chair.

A weight lifted.

Freedom.

Ethan Vance smiled.

He was looking at his phone. A news alert.

"Tech Heir Liam Hayes Dead in Apparent Suicide."

A genuine, joyful smile.

Finally.

The idiot was gone.

He' d sent that email to Liam himself, of course.

Crafted it carefully. The photos of Ava and Marcus. The details about his own "illness."

Just enough truth, twisted just right.

He knew Liam was fragile. Obsessed with Ava.

It was a gamble. But it paid off.

Liam out of the picture.

Ava, free.

Soon, she' d be his.

He' d been patient. So patient.

He picked up his phone, dialed Ava' s number.

He needed to see her.

Offer comfort.

Be there for her.

Ava agreed to meet Ethan for coffee.

He was Marcus' s brother, after all.

She felt a strange, distant obligation.

He arrived at the cafe, his expression carefully somber.

"Ava. I heard about Liam. I' m so sorry."

His eyes were full of concern.

She nodded. "Thank you, Ethan."

"It' s just… shocking," he said, shaking his head. "Did you… did you have any idea?"

"We were getting divorced," Ava said, her voice neutral. "He sent the papers yesterday."

Ethan' s eyebrows shot up in feigned surprise.

"Divorced? I… I didn' t know."

Perfect. He was playing his role perfectly.

Grieving friend. Supportive confidant.

They were just finishing their coffees when a woman approached their table.

Sharp features, dark hair, eyes blazing with anger.

Chloe Davis. Liam' s MIT friend.

Ava recognized her from a few awkward company events years ago.

Chloe ignored Ethan, her gaze fixed on Ava.

"You," Chloe said, her voice tight. "Is it true? Is Liam… gone?"

Before Ava could answer, Ethan put a hand on Chloe' s arm.

"Ms. Davis, I presume? This is hardly the time or place."

Chloe shook him off. "Don' t touch me. I' m talking to her."

Her eyes bored into Ava. "What did you do to him?"

"Chloe," Ava said, keeping her voice calm. "Liam and I were divorcing. He made a choice."

"A choice?" Chloe' s voice rose. "He loved you! And you treated him like dirt!"

People in the cafe were starting to stare.

Ethan stood up. "Perhaps we should discuss this privately."

"There' s nothing to discuss," Chloe shot back. "She knows what she did."

"Ava told me they were getting divorced," Ethan said smoothly, trying to de-escalate.

Chloe stared at him, then back at Ava. Disbelief warred with her anger.

"Divorce?" she whispered. "Liam wouldn' t… not without talking to me."

She fumbled for her phone, her hands shaking.

"I need to call him."

She dialed.

Ava watched her. That cold relief she' d felt earlier was still there, but now, a tiny, unfamiliar worm of… something else… squirmed beneath it.

Chloe listened to the ringing, her face growing paler.

"He' s not answering," she said, her voice hollow. "He always answers."

She looked at Ava, her eyes filled with a terrible accusation.

"What happened, Ava?"

Later that evening, Ethan walked Ava back to her building.

He was being solicitous, charming.

He looked so much like Marcus sometimes. The angle of his jaw. The way his eyes crinkled when he almost smiled.

At her door, he reached out, gently touched her arm.

"If you need anything, Ava. Anything at all."

His fingers were warm.

Ava flinched.

Pulled her arm away.

"I' m fine, Ethan. Thank you."

His smile faltered for a fraction of a second.

She saw a flicker of something in his eyes. Possessiveness? Hunger?

It was gone as quickly as it appeared.

"Of course," he said smoothly. "Get some rest."

He left.

Ava leaned against her closed door.

Her skin crawled where he' d touched her.

It was strange.

He looked like Marcus.

But Marcus' s touch had never made her feel… repulsed.

She walked through her silent, empty apartment.

Liam was gone.

She was free.

She should be celebrating.

But the apartment felt too big. Too quiet.

She thought about Ethan' s touch.

And a strange realization hit her.

She didn' t want Ethan to touch her.

She didn' t want anyone to touch her.

Except…

The thought was a shock.

Except Liam.

Her nominal husband. The man she' d just signed divorce papers from. The man she' d told she' d feel more for a stray dog.

The man whose touch she had systematically rejected for four years.

What was wrong with her?