Chapter Four – Too Close for Comfort
Wolfe Tower – Design Studio, Two Weeks Later
Ava adjusted the scale model of Wolfe's newest real estate venture—a luxury wellness retreat in Aspen. Her fingers were steady, but her mind was chaos.
Working side-by-side with Damien every day was like dancing barefoot on broken glass.
He was different now. Still commanding, still intense—but there was softness in the way he looked at her sometimes. Like he wasn't sure if she was real or just another ghost from his sleepless nights.
The problem?
He still didn't know he had a son.
Ava had planned to tell him. She tried—twice. But something always stopped her.
Either it was Liam getting sick... or Damien's temper snapping in a meeting... or her own fear that once the truth was out, she'd lose everything.
Because deep down, she knew:
Damien Wolfe didn't share.
He possessed.
And if he found out about Liam—he wouldn't let her raise him alone.
"Earth to Ava."
The deep, gravel-smooth voice jolted her from her spiral. She turned to see Damien leaning in the doorway, sleeves rolled up, eyes on her with unnerving focus.
"You okay?"
She nodded too quickly. "Just... tired."
He walked in, picking up the model.
"You always bite your lip when you're lying."
She stiffened. "You remember that?"
"I remember everything."
The air went thick.
"I've been thinking," he said after a beat, setting the model down. "About what I said—the terms of our arrangement."
Ava raised an eyebrow. "Planning to add more rules?"
"No. I'm... removing one."
She blinked. "Which one?"
"I don't want you here just because of this contract. I want you to stay—on your own terms. But stay."
Ava's heart nearly stopped.
"Why?" she whispered.
Damien took a step closer, his voice rough with emotion. "Because you still haunt me, Ava. And I need to know if what we had was real—or just something I imagined while building a kingdom I can't enjoy without you."
Her breath caught.
And for a heartbeat, just one, she almost told him everything.
That he had a son.
That she'd never stopped loving him.
But just as she opened her mouth—
Her phone buzzed.
Jessica.
"Call me. It's urgent. It's about Liam."
Side Character Expansion: Jessica Monroe
Role: Ava's best friend and Liam's godmother
Age: 30
Occupation: Pediatric nurse practitioner
Personality: Sharp-witted, loyal, fiercely protective
Jessica is the kind of woman who doesn't mince words. She's been by Ava's side through every heartbreak and milestone. She helped deliver Liam at a backwater hospital in Illinois during a snowstorm and held Ava's hand during every job interview and sleepless night.
But Jessica has secrets of her own.
Why she matters:
Jessica has always distrusted Damien. She believes Ava is better off without him and views any re-entry into their lives as dangerous.
She also holds a hidden grudge: Her older sister dated Damien years ago and was left broken when he ghosted her in college. Jessica never forgot.
She's the only person besides Ava who knows the full truth about Liam's paternity—and she's not above threatening Damien if he tries to take custody.
Upcoming Role in Plot: In the next few chapters, Jessica will become a voice of tension. When Liam's health takes a mysterious turn, she insists on keeping Damien in the dark—at least for now. But her interference will cause a rift between her and Ava… and push Ava toward a painful, overdue choice.