I packed a small b

haking, but my

tell him about the grant, to make my

erate flight

abella perched on the edge of his

ike a power c

mach t

th

on guarded. Isabella' s sm

ng." His voice w

arded the Alaskan documentary grant. Profes

brow. "Alaska? T

ago. The confirmation just came

me, her eyes li

it. "Isabella and I were just discussing our trip to Aspen. We'r

a soft expression on

structed composu

hoosing her. After a night he d

was a f

"I'll be leaving at the end o

e you sure you' re alright,

m shattered.

cing a smile. "Just exc

es were searching. Di

ing Ethan. Overpro

joke, Ava. I

be car

the project as well. He has experience in extreme environmen

slightly at the mention

possessiveness. Or

"Well, keep me updated.

trip. It barely r

lked away before my comp

house, the silen

ow definitively

sterday sat on the bath

ring myself t

t

. it would make ev

s firm. If I was pregnant, I w

existed, would b

rfect life with Isabell

thought, but it

him knowing, of the pity in hi

be a scanda

fter that night – that he might remember

than' s easy acceptance o

ys were a blur

ting with Liam Johnson vi

ain house as mu

, planning their future. I s

of them in the garden,

cene from a movie, a lif

est still sat on my coun

departure, I fina

d as I followed

etched into

ink l

gna

no surprise. Just a

' s c

ment of drugged vulnerabi

e would n

hot and fast. I d

floor, the test clutche

self. For the love I

mmense, a raw,

he resolve I' d found e

rt of me. A part of

do it on m

an escape anymore.

g. My bags wer

scheduled t

d the guest house. It had

ful, gil

on the small ta

e. No

s choice. I w

Ethan walking across the

d. He was comi

thought he knew. That

n was neutral, al

ur taxi

car waiting at th

I said, my

er to your Alaskan account. For pro

d me an

than. That's

r parents woul

them. To my obl

silence hun

said finall

wil

me. Didn't eve

ack towards the main house, where Isabe

a final, aching

he taxi, and di

my secret. My bu

ka w