lence of the wilderness, it felt more like a forgotten relic than a place of safety. The wooden cabin was old, the walls c

an and Ava. "We won't be safe here for long," he said, voice low, eyes sharp. "Langley's men

his jaw clenched. "Then we find out

ars trying to bury. Victor Langley. A man she had never met, yet his name alone sent a chill th

room, hugging herself as she sat down. Ethan's gaze

her. His face was lined with exhaustion, but his eyes held someth

. "I just found out my father was murdered for getting too close to some power

ad stayed, you wouldn'

ight. So instead, I grew up al

e could. "We can't change the past, Ava. But we

fists. "I don't care what

his worn jacket, pulling out a stack of old letters, t

he said quietly. "I found

aged, the ink slightly smudged, but as she read the f

just about

about

the words, her

ws about th

hing them

far away from Ethan Hawthorne. If she eve

as she looked up at Eth

red. "Why did my father think

ined unreadable, but something in

han's family too. Your father thought if the two

her chest. "So this wasn't a coinci

ightened. "No

to her forehead. Everything she thought she

rely above a whisper. "Did you know tha

sitated-

tomach

e cracked, betrayal

va

nds balled into fists. "You knew.

ed back. "I was trying to protect you," he s

"Right. Because breaking m

tion evident. "You think that was

ry unanswered question-this was the moment she had been

spite everything, she s

thing else, a noise outs

entire posture sh

ow, peering through the cur

r at his side. "Stay inside," he ordered, his voice a s

pushed open the front door

le

ng sound near

he darkness. Ava tried to follow, but

ut

f a branch breaking-t

Ethan reappeared, his expression gri

but the message writ

hide from

lood ra

, his face darkenin

n tightened. "Then it'

words. Her father's warnin

from Ethan

down-it was alread