ws. My father sat in his usual armchair, a throne from which he ruled our family. He held a newspaper, t

voice low and heavy with disapproval. "You

I said, standing before him. "

on' t play games with me, Ava. I know what you w

voice quiet but firm. "What is t

t' s a merger of two powerful families. Julian' s family is old money, prestige.

te in my mouth. "Her happiness is a b

u are part of this family, and you will act accordingly. That means you will support Clar

daughter for a better balance sheet. The love I once had for him had long since curdled into a hollow

?" I asked, the words

will find that life can become

home, my entire existence. But for the first time, t

connecting dots I hadn' t seen before. "Just before my mother got sick, you si

tening of his jaw. "That is none of y

gave it away. You gave her legacy away." My voice shook with a rage I had suppressed for years. "And now you' re sell

ng his hand on the table besi

her mother tormented me for years. You ignored my mother' s pain. And last night, you celebrated as Clara took the one pe

is face a mask of fury. He was cornered, and he knew it. He couldn't de

dropping to a dangerously quiet level. "

replied. "A very pretty cage, I' l

going or what I would do, but I knew I couldn' t stay in that house a moment longer. A

ccess to my trust fund was frozen, effective immediately. I was cut off. Clara, of cour

g look on her face. "Leaving so soon? I thought

tinuing to fold a

she said, her voice a purr. "He tried s

"Just don' t, Clara. I' m not i

small framed photo from my nightstand. It was of my mother and me. "It' s a sham

action she could report back to our fathe

"Is he behaving too? Does he know he' s

knows what' s good for him. An

lara in the doorway. It was him, the man from the balcony. Damie

" he asked, his dark eyes mov

horne? What are you doing here?" She quickly rega

attention focused solely on me. "I heard you were in nee

s widened, a mixture of shock and jealousy flashing acros

ur father's actions have created an opportunity.

n escape nonetheless. The media, which Clara had so expertly manipulated, was about to become a battleground. Damien Thorne, it

e a low murmur that was both a promise and a threat. "And r

r. But what if I could change the narrative? What if I could be the wronged heiress, fighting for her mother'

forward. "You have no business here, Mr.

nce," he said, the polite title a subtle insult. "Especially when it involves a st

as more satisfying than I could have imagined. I had been stripped of my money and my home, but in that moment,