Chapter 2

A stunned silence fell over the room. My father' s jaw tightened. Summer and Lucy exchanged confused glances.

Ava' s cool facade finally cracked. A line appeared between her brows. "Ethan, what are you talking about? Don't joke around."

Her voice, the same one that whispered loving words to another man in letters, now grated on my ears.

"This is an important family decision," she continued, stepping forward. "You can't be impulsive."

I felt a familiar sting of pain in my chest, a ghost of the love I once had. She wasn't worried about me or our future. She was worried about her plan. Her plan with Ben.

"I'm not being impulsive, Ava," I said, my voice cold. "I'm being very, very clear."

Summer spoke up, her voice gentle. "Ethan, we all thought... everyone knows you've always favored Ava."

"We'll respect your decision, of course," Lucy added quickly, "but it's just a surprise." She glanced nervously at Chloe. "I guess that means Chloe is out of the running, too. You two fight like cats and dogs."

I looked at Chloe. She was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching the drama with an unreadable expression. Her sharp wit and combative nature had always put me on edge. In my past life, I saw it as a flaw. Now, I saw it differently. She was the only one who never lied to me, who never pretended to be something she wasn't. Her honesty was brutal, but it was real.

While Ava was writing love letters to Ben, Chloe was building her own company from the ground up, becoming a force to be reckoned with in her own right. She never needed my money. She never asked for anything. She just... was there. A constant, irritating, and fiercely protective presence.

Choosing Chloe was the smartest move. She was loyal, capable, and she would never betray me for a weakling like my adopted brother. This wasn't about love. Not yet. This was about survival. This was about justice.

Just as I was about to speak her name, the doors to the living room burst open.

A young man, the son of a minor business partner, stumbled in, his face flushed with anger. He pointed a shaking finger not at me, but at the person standing quietly near the back of the room.

"Ben Carter! You worthless piece of trash! You're the reason my father's company went bankrupt!"

Ben, my meek, innocent adopted brother, flinched. He looked pale and terrified, shrinking behind a decorative vase. "I-I don't know what you're talking about," he stammered.

Before my father's security could even move, Ava was in motion. She crossed the room in a blur, positioning herself squarely in front of Ben, her body shielding him completely.

"Get out," she snarled at the intruder, her voice low and dangerous. "Don't you dare lay a hand on him."

I watched them, a cold, bitter smile touching my lips. There it was. The exact same scene. The same instinct. Protecting him, not me. Her charge. Her responsibility. In that moment, she wasn't my bodyguard. She was his.

Ben peeked out from behind her, his eyes wide with fake fear. He looked at me, a silent plea for help.

I felt nothing but contempt. The whole scene was a pathetic replay of a tragedy only I remembered.

I turned back to my father, my voice cutting through the tension.

"My choice is Chloe Davis."

The room went silent again, but this time, the shock was absolute. Every head, including Ava's, snapped toward Chloe.

Chloe herself looked completely stunned, her mouth slightly open, her usual smirk gone. For the first time, I saw her look completely and utterly speechless.