The morning after the encounter with Michael Blackthorne dawned gray and heavy, as if the skies themselves were mourning the truth Ava had uncovered. She barely slept. Jace's arms had held her through the night, but comfort couldn't erase the storm raging inside her.
She sat at the breakfast table, untouched tea growing cold beside her, eyes fixed on the folded letter from her mother. The words replayed like a chant: "If Jace lies, leave."
Jace entered the room quietly, his expression unreadable. He took a seat across from her.
"I told you everything," he said, his voice low. "And I know it's not enough."
She finally looked up. "You withheld the most important part. You let me grieve a mother who was alive."
"I was trying to honor her wishes. She didn't want you dragged into this."
"She dragged me into this the day she disappeared." Ava stood, pacing the room. "You and my mother—you both made decisions for me. Protected me, lied to me, controlled me."
Jace rose as well. "You're right. But I'm done controlling anything. I just want to fight beside you now."
Her voice broke. "And if I can't forgive you?"
He stepped closer, eyes unwavering. "Then I'll earn it. Every single day, for the rest of my life."
---
Later that day, Ava returned to Café Verde. Richard was waiting.
"She reached out," he said without preamble.
Ava's breath caught. "My mother?"
He nodded, sliding a phone across the table. A single voicemail played:
> "Ava, if you're hearing this, it means you know. I'm sorry. I did what I thought was right. But Blackthorne… he's after more than revenge. He's after legacy. Yours. I love you. And I'll find you again."
Tears blurred her vision. "She's alive… and running."
Richard nodded. "But she wants you safe, and that means you and Jace need to stick together now more than ever."
Ava swallowed hard. "Then we make the next move."
---
That evening, Ava and Jace stood before a sea of flashing cameras at a charity gala. Dressed in elegance, masks in place, and a new plan silently agreed upon.
The whispers had begun the moment they entered: "Is that the fake wife?" — "Scandalous couple." — "They look... real."
That was the goal.
Jace leaned down and whispered, "You ready?"
Ava smiled for the crowd. "Let's give them something to talk about."
They posed. Laughed. Held hands like they were glued together. Every kiss on the cheek, every glance—they played their roles to perfection.
But behind the performance, real emotion brewed. Real fire. Real fear.
Because one slip, one wrong move, and everything could unravel.
---
Later that night, Ava found an envelope slipped under her pillow.
No return address.
Inside, a single photo:
Her mother. Standing outside an unfamiliar building. In the corner of the photo, a red "X" was drawn.
On the back: "Final warning."
She clutched the photo, eyes wide.
"Jace!"
He rushed in. She handed it to him. His eyes darkened instantly.
"This isn't a warning. It's a declaration. They know we're digging. And they want us to stop."
Ava met his gaze. "Then let's dig deeper."
---
That night, they sat with Richard, mapping out every connection—Blackthorne, Lena, her father, the shady investors who'd disappeared years ago.
Piece by piece, the puzzle began to shift. The image grew clearer:
Blackthorne wasn't just bitter. He was building something. Quietly. Systematically.
"He's infiltrated more than your life," Richard said grimly. "He's going after the Carter Foundation next."
Jace stiffened. "That's impossible."
"Not if he's using insiders. People close to you. Maybe even people you trust."
Ava looked between them. "We need to find out who."
"And fast," Richard agreed. "Before he takes everything."
---
Jace reached for Ava's hand as they prepared to retire for the night.
"You still trust me?"
She hesitated, then squeezed his fingers. "I trust us."
He smiled. "Then let's finish what we started."
Outside, lightning cracked the sky.
Inside, love and war stirred in equal measure.
Because this wasn't just a story of two people fighting for each other.
It was a war for the truth.
And Ava Williams had just chosen her side.