r hand. She turned back, the question escaping befor

oes not support idle hands, Ava," he said, his voice cool and detached. "That trust yo

He was making it clear: this was a business transaction. The word "family" was just a label for a corp

. His next words were softer, catching her by surpris

ring that Damien's own mother had passed away when he was young. "You

"Memory," he said, his voice a low

ithin her, a shared note of loss that she had never expected t

t bang. Ethan stood there, his face contorted with rage. His eyes locked o

st in a punishing grip. "What are you doing

Ethan, you're hurting me!" she

them, his presence a physical shield. "Let her go," he said. The w

him, a possessive, childish gesture. "This i

ith tension, the two men locke

d the confrontation would escalate. "I

ver Ethan's shoulder, a

the room, her heart hammering against her ribs. The door cl

an control everything?" Ethan's voice ro

voice was dangerously calm. "And do

ght, and she's going to be there," Eth

ed, his tone dismiss

truth. But hearing Damien's quiet, firm defense of her... that planted a tiny, unfamil

tudy a moment later, brush

ice. "Get me the location and guest list for the party Ethan Carlis

. And it was as silent a