face had gone from shocked to thunderous in a matter of seconds. H

d a low growl. "Don' t be ridicu

inding someone else was an impossibility. It was humiliating. He was trea

gh. "Oh, Ava, that' s just sad. Making up a husband? You really

n' t move. His eyes were locked on mine,

e," he

I asked,

e? If you' re married, bri

business," I said, the excuse

This is a game, Ava, and I' m not playing. You' re

uising. It was the first time he had ever touched me with anything

ng to pull away. The small crowd around

through gritted teeth, his face close to mine.

all my strength, stumbling a step.

before. "I will always be your guardian, Ava. It' s my

ising with a mix of fear and anger. "You threw me out for her! Yo

ure completely. The careful mask of the tech mogul, the benevolent

from yourself! From these... these inappropriate feelings you have! I gave you everything, Ava! A home, an educati

all these people, was devastating. The strength I had found just moments b

er in his eyes was mixed with something else, something confused and pai

placed a calming hand on his arm. "Ethan, darling,

ion wasn' t triumphant or angry anymore, just... lost. He looked like a man who had just set his own house on fire and couldn't understand why he was cho