Chapter 4

Ava remained silent, a ghost at the feast, as the Hayes family imploded.

Mr. Hayes Sr. was purple with rage.

"You will not speak such filth in my house!" he roared at Ethan.

He slammed his fist on the table. Glasses rattled, a plate shattered.

In the chaos, he lunged towards Ethan, but his arm caught the edge of a heavy serving platter. It tipped, sending scalding gravy cascading down.

Ava, seated next to the patriarch, couldn' t move fast enough.

The hot liquid splashed onto her arm and lap.

She cried out, a sharp intake of breath.

Ethan, in that split second, didn' t look at Ava. His instinct was immediate.

He grabbed Chloe, pulling her behind him, shielding her from the mess, from his father' s wrath.

"Are you okay, Chloe?" he murmured, his back to Ava.

Then he turned, glared at his father, and without a word to Ava, steered Chloe out of the dining room, out of the house.

The sound of their car starting and speeding away echoed in the stunned silence.

Ava was left amidst the wreckage, her arm burning, her dress ruined, her heart a cold, dead weight.

Someone, a cousin perhaps, helped her.

She ended up in the emergency room, treated for second-degree burns.

She woke hours later in a small, private hospital room. Liam. Her step-brother Liam. He was there. He must have flown in from California as soon as her father called him. He looked worried.

"Ava, are you okay?" Liam asked, his voice gentle.

"Liam? What are you doing here?"

"Dad called. He was worried sick. I got the first flight."

Just then, the door opened. Ethan and Chloe.

Ethan saw Liam, his eyes narrowed slightly. He looked uncomfortable when his gaze met Ava' s.

Chloe rushed to Ava' s bedside. "Oh, Ava! I am so, so sorry! Are you alright? It' s all my fault. If I hadn' t been there..."

She dabbed at her eyes. "Father Hayes was just so upset. And Ethan... he was just trying to protect me."

She then subtly added, "I heard you have a shellfish allergy, Ava. Was there shrimp in that gravy? Maybe that' s why your reaction was so bad."

Ava looked at Chloe. No, it wasn't an allergy. It was a burn. Chloe knew.

"I' m fine, Chloe," Ava said, her voice devoid of emotion. She explained quietly, "It was just hot. I moved too slow." She didn't want Liam to know the full extent of the family drama.

"Ethan was so brave," Chloe continued, her eyes shining as she looked at Ethan. "He told his father he wouldn' t attend any more family gatherings if they couldn' t accept... us. Our bond."

Ava nodded slowly. Of course. Ethan would defy his entire family for Chloe.

This was it. The final, undeniable proof.

Suddenly, Ethan' s phone rang. It was his father, his voice booming even from the phone.

"We have to go," Ethan said to Chloe, a note of urgency. "My father is demanding we return to the estate."

They left as abruptly as they arrived, leaving Ava alone with Liam.

Liam' s presence was a quiet comfort. He didn' t press. He just stayed.

Later that night, Ava couldn't sleep. She walked down the quiet hospital corridor, needing air.

She passed a small, secluded waiting area.

She heard voices. Ethan' s. Chloe' s.

"...I can' t live without you, Chloe," Ethan was saying, his voice thick with emotion. "Marrying Ava was the biggest mistake of my life. It was always you. Only you."

Ava froze, her hand flying to her mouth.

"Oh, Ethan," Chloe whispered. "I love you too. So much."

Then, Ava saw them.

Ethan pulled Chloe into his arms, a desperate, passionate embrace. He kissed her, deeply.

Chloe' s arms went around his neck, returning the kiss with equal fervor.

They broke apart, breathless.

Chloe turned slightly, and her eyes met Ava' s.

Chloe' s face went white. A gasp of pure horror escaped her lips. "Ava!"