plicitly mentioned as the buyer, was prominently featured in photos, escorting a "radiant" Chloe from the auction. His connection to the "old m

a small family dinner that night, a dinner Ava was forced to

ce. "Such a generous, anonymous gift. I wonder who it could b

, pushing food a

d. His gaze, when it briefly met Ava's, was cold, almost challenging. He had engineered Ava's

escape the suffocating atmosphere. As she walked down the lo

wait!"

idn't

d, catching up, her voice dripping with

r's," Ava said,

r tone hardening. "A gift from some

moned. He saw them, saw the tension. He moved to st

Ethan asked, his voice calm,

oe said, smiling sweetly up at him

ist of the knife. He was acti

ce becoming soft and intimate. "Ethan, darling, thank y

s head. "My pl

eir shared triumph, right in front o

of anger. "Must y

her, instantly colder.

small, triumphant smirk playing

was only ice. It solidified her understanding: in Ethan's eyes, she was less t