face like a clenched fist, had just finished reciting my duties. Officially, I was Ava Miller, companion and personal assistant to the aging Mrs. Eleanor Davenport. Unoffic

to be practical, to see opportuniti

ly, Miss Miller?" she'd asked, not unkindly, but with a distinct edge. "No inconvenient attachments?" I confirmed I was alone. "Good," she'd said. "Discretion is paramount in this household. And flexibi

d. Politics is a demanding mistress." She paused, her gaze lingering on me. "He needs... companionship. A friendly face to help him relax after a

tall, impeccably dressed, radiating an aura of power and intense focus. Chief of Staff to Senator Harrison, they said. The golden boy of the Davenport

nderfully dedicated to his career. A true Davenport." Her eyes, however, held a flicker of something else. "But a man needs more than work. He nee

s been under immense pressure lately. That dreadful senator he works for is running him ragged." She leaned forward. "I need you to... ensure he's comfortable. Truly comfortab

taught me resilience, but also a deep yearning for stability, for a place to call my own. This job, this uncomfortable arrangement, was a means to an end. The pay was substa

him hunched over his desk, surrounded by papers, his brow furrowed in concentration. I offered him coffee. He waved me awa

"suggested" I buy. I found Ethan in his sitting room, a glass of whiskey in his hand, staring into the unlit fireplace. I tried to make small talk, asking about his d

do you think you're doing?" he snapped, his eyes cold. He pushed my hand away, his voice firm. "Leav

nior housekeeper, smirked at me from across the room. "Strike out again, did we?" she sneered, h

ffany. You're just jealous because Mrs. Davenport actually speaks to Ava." Tiffany tossed her hair and flounced out, mut

on the money I needed to earn. This was just a job, a temporary stop. My real life,

also continued to make myself available to Ethan, though his indifference was a constant wall. I'd bring him his

d in with a minor historical detail I'd read, thinking it was relevant. Ethan stopped mid-sentence, his eyes narrowing at me. Senator Harrison, his boss who was also present, chuckle

d one afternoon, her voice losing its usual silken tone, "I expect to see some progress. Ethan needs to be.

find him a proper match. Someone from a good family, of course." She named a figure, a sum of money that would be mine, enough to start my busine

loosening his tie. I knew Eleanor would be asking for a report in the morning. I brought him a glass of water. He took it, his eyes briefly meeting mine, a flicker of something unreadable in their depths. I thought about the money, about freedom. I remembered a small packet

d at me, his eyes hazy. "Ava?" he slurred. He reached for me. I knew what I was doing was wrong, a desperate, morally grey act. But the image of my bookstore,

lt and a strange, hollow triumph. I had done what Eleanor wanted. I avoided Ethan for the rest of the

mockery to a kind of grudging respect, mixed with envy. They assumed I had succeeded where they cou

study this evening." My heart leaped into my throat. Surprise, apprehension, and a tiny, unwelco

he said, his voice neutral. He gestured to a chair. "Sit." The atmosphere was tense. He asked me about my duties with his grandmoth

" He paused, his gaze steady on mine. "Stay. Keep me company." It wasn't a request. It was a quiet command, b

," he said. I hesitated. He smiled faintly, a humorless twitch of his lips. "Don't be shy now, Ava. You weren't

eaned in, his voice a low murmur. "You made a choice that night, Ava. Understand that choices have consequences." He didn't sound angry, more like... resign

a surprising depth I hadn't expected. He told me he disliked hormonal birth control, mentioned side effects he' d read about, suggesting "other methods" were safer, more natural. I, eag

anny, the temporary companion. But in those stolen moments, when he looked at me with something other than indiffere

s gaze sometimes lingered on me. She saw him seeking me out for quiet moments. Her displeasure was palpa

donor, and their families have known each other for generations. An excellent alliance." She then turned to me, her smile fading. "Your services, my dear, will no longer be required." She handed me a thick envelope. "Your

y was real. My escape was real. I didn't say goodbye to Ethan. What was there to say? I packed my single