emerged, dressed in a simple, dark suit. He was of average height, with an unassuming air, his features unremarkable. He intr

He walked into the aftermat

ce hoarse. "Ava, think of the scandal if Thorne

e her," I said, my vo

"She' ll ruin everything! That m

er friends about her dreadful family. Ethan hovered near my father, offering

to get me to "see reason," listened to Hailey' s petulant sighs about how "unfair" this all was to her, and saw my father' s barely concealed panic. He

h pink, not that dreadful indigo you

those morbid irises," Haile

en I finally said, "I understan

eadable. He asked a few perfunctory questions about "Hailey' s" preferences, which I answered based

Covington. It seemed he didn't much care which one it

as relentless. Ethan, in a pr

m you changed your mind." His eyes were pleading, but there was a ha

n? Your affair with my sister while I play

gret this, Ava. You' re throwin

"But it will be my

your real mother, she would be ashamed of

was a low blow, but I was past b

d, my voice cold. "Something this

as if I' d

loaded. My family offered strained, awkward goodbyes. Hailey couldn' t even look at me.

ds the black car,

," he said, his

rivate airfield was silent, the man beside me an enigma. I was walking into the lion' s den, and