e kind of event Ava had spent her life infiltrating, not attending. But it was the

than work the room with Chloe on his arm. They looked like the perfect couple

What a joke. The whole thing was a lie.

odependence for love, shared trauma for a soulmate connection. She was a fool. A highly trained, deadly fo

e was punishing her with silence, assuming, as always, that she would break first and come cra

little lonely

had detached herself from Ethan and floated ove

ng," Ava said

champagne. "You and Ethan have been partners for a long

" Ava replied, refusi

mock sympathy. "But you have to understand, a man like Ethan needs a certain kind o

r. Ava' s grip on h

in her mind. She needed to build a wall so high Ethan could never even

Actually, I' m not just leaving th

n them. Chloe' s perfectly sculp

epeated, her voice

l over them. It was Ethan. He had a propriet

his voice low and tight with an emotion she couldn' t

isy was br

one of amusement. "Isn' t it wonderful, darling?

searching Ava' s face fo

very ounce of her training to keep her expression placid. "My fia

t, she saw a flash of genuine hurt in his eyes, a flicker of the boy

. "A 'secret fiancé

her, but the seed of doubt

g herself against his side. "Well, we should go congratulate them! Ethan, you s

e glanced back over his shoulder at Ava, his expression a complex mix of anger,

dissolving. The lie felt heavy in he

when she heard their voices drift from a secluded alcove. She f

d lie about something like that," E

was smooth as silk. "Maybe she' s just trying to ma

ause. Ava hel

n said, and his voice w

s your past. I' m your future. You know

a gap in the leaves. She saw Chloe stand

arms around her waist and kissed her back, a de

was a physical, visceral confirmation of every fear she' d had. The world til

ked gasp, because they broke apar

but there was no shame. N

of pure victory. She saw the devasta

voice loud enough to carry.

Chloe' s triumphant expression to Ava

Chloe, shielding her as

e cold and dismissive. "Skulking in the bushe

her like a p

her, Ethan," she whispere

s embarrassing. For both of us. You' re my partner, nothing more. And s

aving Ava standing alone in the dark. The laughter and music from the party seemed a world away. T