Chapter 1 - The Silent Promise
The air in the dressing suite grew impossibly cold.
Ethan stared at me as if the ground beneath his feet had suddenly cracked open.
The brilliant, untouchable billionaire lost all his polished composure in a single heartbeat.
"Adrian," he breathed out, the name sounding like a curse on his lips.
"You cannot cancel his award, Ethan," I pleaded, stepping forward before I realized how close I was getting.
"If you humiliate him tonight, I am the one who will pay for it when we get home."
Ethan's jaw clenched so hard I thought his teeth might shatter.
He looked at the fresh bruises blooming across my ribs one last time before forcing his eyes up to mine.
I quickly pulled the clean black shirt over my head, hiding the evidence of my nightmare.
"He is the city's hero, Mr. Carter," I whispered, my voice shaking uncontrollably.
"No one will believe me."
Ethan took a slow step toward me, stopping just inches away from my trembling frame.
"I believe you," he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous, deadly whisper.
"And I swear on my life, Ava, he will never lay another hand on you again."
Before I could ask him what he meant, a sharp knock echoed through the room.
The heavy wooden door rattled.
"Ava, darling, are you in there?" Adrian's smooth, charismatic voice drifted through the wood.
My blood ran ice cold as I backed away from Ethan.
"The gala is starting, sweetheart," Adrian called out, turning the brass handle.
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"And someone told me my generous benefactor just walked into this exact room."
The doorknob clicked open, revealing the smiling face of the monster I was supposed to marry.
