Ava's reflection trembled in the glass window. Behind her, the city glowed like a million secrets burning in the dark.She could feel Damien's eyes on her even before he spoke.
"Who called you?" His tone was calm—too calm. The kind that made silence more dangerous than shouting.
"I don't know," she said, turning to face him. "But whoever it was, they know something. They knew about the deal."
His expression didn't change. "Then keep your phone off. The media will die down once the story gets old."
Ava clenched her fists. "You leaked it, didn't you? You wanted the world to see me as the villain—your perfect trophy wife to humiliate."
Damien stepped closer. "Careful, Ava. You signed the contract. You agreed to play your part."
She met his gaze, unflinching. "I agreed to save my father, not to be your public execution."
For the first time, a flicker of emotion crossed his face—something sharp, regretful, gone in a second.He turned away, jaw tight. "I warned you. Everything has a price."
The Dinner Trap
That evening, the staff laid out dinner in eerie silence. A long table. Two plates. Two people who used to know each other, now separated by secrets.
Ava barely touched her food.Damien scrolled through his phone, pretending to read an email.Finally, she broke the silence. "You still haven't told me what my father did to you."
He looked up slowly. "You don't deserve to know."
"Then I'll find out myself."
He laughed softly, without humor. "You're in my world now. You'll find only what I allow."
Ava stood abruptly, chair scraping the marble. "Then maybe your world isn't as controlled as you think."
She walked out, heart pounding. Behind her, Damien's fork clattered against the plate. For a man who lived by control, she had just become his first mistake.
The Unexpected Guest
The next morning, Ava awoke to the sound of voices downstairs. She slipped on a robe and descended the staircase quietly.
A woman stood in the foyer—tall, elegant, every inch polished power. She wore crimson lipstick and confidence like armor.When she saw Ava, her smile didn't reach her eyes.
"Oh," she said smoothly. "So this is the new Mrs. Cross."
Ava froze. "And you are?"
Before the woman could answer, Damien appeared from behind her. "Ava, this is Victoria Hale, our company's legal counsel."
Victoria extended a manicured hand. "Among other things."
The pause wasn't accidental.
Ava shook her hand coolly. "Pleasure."
"The pleasure," Victoria said, eyes flicking toward Damien, "depends on how long you last."
Something electric passed between the two women—half challenge, half warning.
Victoria turned back to Damien. "The board is restless. They're questioning your judgment. A surprise marriage days before the merger doesn't inspire confidence."
"I'll handle it," Damien said curtly.
"I hope you do," she replied. "Because if you don't, they'll handle you."
With that, Victoria walked out, heels echoing like a countdown.
The Confrontation
When they were alone again, Ava folded her arms. "Who is she really?"
Damien didn't answer.
"Your ex?"
He looked up, eyes sharp. "Don't test me."
She stepped closer, her voice low. "I already signed the contract, Damien. You own my time, my name, my image—but you don't own my silence. So tell me the truth, or I'll find it myself."
He moved toward her until there was barely an inch between them. "You have no idea what you're walking into, Ava. My world will eat you alive."
"Then let it," she said softly. "Because I'm done being afraid of you."
Something cracked in his gaze—pain, memory, maybe even admiration. He caught her wrist before she could turn away."Be careful what you dig for," he said, voice rough. "Some truths don't want to be found."
Ava looked down at his hand on her skin, then back at him. "Neither do some hearts."
She pulled free and walked out, leaving him standing in the glow of his own regrets.
Later That Night
Damien sat alone in his office, staring at the flickering city lights.Victoria's words echoed in his mind. You're playing with fire.
He opened his desk drawer and pulled out an old photograph—two young men, smiling, standing in front of a building with Sinclair Industries carved above the doors. One of them was Ava's father. The other was Damien's father.
A partnership that ended in betrayal.A tragedy that took everything from him.
And now—revenge wearing a wedding dress.
He pressed the photo flat against the desk and whispered to the empty room,"This was never about love… so why does it feel like it is?"
End of Chapter Four