the lavish Manhattan apartment, th

ng her Montana upbringing hadn't prepared

urmured, his voice a low hum th

ter business rival. Liam, the tech entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, the boy her parents adopted and

at. It was the thrilling, da

mera was soft, but it ech

nease in her eyes. "Ethan,

er "special element," as Ethan called it, was her talent, the

ence, felt less about art and more about... something else. Som

e, his charismatic smi

love, Ava. Unfiltered. Pas

her forehead. "My beau

wanted to believe him, needed to. This love, this sec

a nickname that made her feel bot

e watch. "I have to go. Th

ming from lover back into Et

okay?" he said, pecking her lips. "I'll call y

is mind clearly on business, on the pu

oment, the scent of h

um cufflink on the nightstand, the one with the tiny,

ture. Maybe it would make her feel less like a secret a

club downtown before the gala, a pl

ut of place in her art student attire, managed to slip past the main

a slightly ajar door.

e slick with amusement. "Seriously, Ethan, the way you've got

s a goldmine. That content? Priceless for when Liam Miller's I

Content?

with a chilling satisfaction sh

otos, the videos... they'll paint quite a picture. Timed perfectly, it'l

few months back? The mugging? Sealed the deal. She

ord twisted in Ava'

Her hand flew to her m

creaked slightly

" Mark asked, h

proached the door. "

ribs. She turned and fled, tears blurring her visio

ut into the cool night air, gulping for breat

wn small student apartment, the piece

appeared like a hero, fending off att

" he'd so smoothly resolved

t, every photo he'd cajoled her into – a

n. A weapon a

of dreams, determined to make her mark.

rming, sophisticated, seemingly captivated by her and her work. H

etches, her vision. H

naive girl from Montana, e

showering her with attention, w

, his eyes sincere. "You're real.

ve with a phantom, a carefully constructed

ine now a monument to her own stupidity. Manhattan's ashes indee

he fumbled for her phone. Her fir

cross the country, her phone buzz

ng?" Liam's voice, usually so calm

oked out, "I... I'm in trouble. I need to ge

tell him the whole truth, no

ght to California. First one out tomorrow. I have a new art foundation I'm funding. I

. It sounded

hispered. "Y