me the moment I

. They were sharp,

and betrayal. I saw my fiancé, Liam, standing beside my

y masterpiece. The one I had pou

fixed on Chloe with adoration. "You, Chlo

accepted the praise, the scholarship to the prestigious Nor

t just break, it was methodically dismantled by the two people I trusted most. I d

w, I w

he Northwood exhibition. Before the

ightstand. The screen li

tement. He was calling to finalize the plans for our engagement party. An event my adoptive

e, I let

, then started agai

red, my voice s

el

laced with the casual entitlement he always wore. "My mother is asking abou

here's not going to

on the o

be difficult, Ava. Everyt

said, each word a stone dropping

efore he co

elt like breathing

s him. I had moved into this small place to focus on my art, away from the sti

ed the

disbelief. He wasn't just a golden boy from a rich family

ith me over the phone? After every

ce flat. "Or doing for the West

That's not fai

m straight in the eye. "Or di

cond. He was so used to getting his way, to people agreein

he suddenly sneered, his arroga

us of

mething you don't, Ava. A fire. A raw, natural genius. I saw her pre

out my sketches that Chloe had

is expensive shoes. "She's going to be a world-famous artist. You... you're a good tec

hey had. They had fed my insecurities, made me belie

y were j

simply looked at him, at this shallo

ghly of her," I said calm

derstand my lack of reaction. He n

r future because you can't handle your

hand on the doorknob. "I'm reclaiming my future. I'm g

to close

ice echoing in the hallway. "You'll come cra

ike the final word in a long-finished argument. Lea

lt f