Chapter 8: Confrontations and Challenges

Ava's sobs echoed through her room, punctuated by angry mutters. "How could they?" she whispered, clutching a pillow to her chest. "Should I crash the wedding? No... I'm supposed to be dead. But Sophie... we've been best friends since we were kids. Did our friendship mean nothing?"

Her stomach growled loudly, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since breakfast. The clock on her nightstand blinked 6:00 PM. Wiping her eyes, Ava tiptoed to her door and peeked out. The hallway was mercifully empty.

She crept downstairs, following the lingering scent of Mrs. Chen's cooking. In the kitchen, she found a covered tray on the island. Lifting the lid, she discovered a still-warm plate of her favorite comfort foods.

"Yes!" Ava did a little dance, then caught herself. "Okay, calm down. You need energy to keep crying, right?" She wasn't sure if she was hungry or just angry anymore, but food was food.

---

Ethan paced in his study, unable to focus on work. Ava's tears kept replaying in his mind. He'd tried to comfort her earlier, but she'd just cried harder. Now he was torn between giving her space and checking on her again.

With a sigh, he headed for her room. He knocked softly, but there was no answer. "Maybe she finally fell asleep," he muttered.

Heading to the kitchen for water, he stopped short. Ava sat at the island, shoveling food into her mouth between sniffles. Her eyes were red and puffy, her cheeks tear-stained. Something in Ethan's chest tightened at the sight.

Ava looked up as he entered, those beautiful gray eyes swimming with fresh tears.

Something about the sight made his chest tighten. I just wanted to wrap her in my arms and tell her everything was going to be okay. Before I could stop myself, I walked over.

"You want some?" she asked, trying to smile but breaking into sobs instead.

Without thinking, Ethan crossed the room and wrapped her in a hug.

He expected her to pull away, but instead, she clung to him. Five minutes passed, then ten. Ethan found himself hyper-aware of her softness, the sweet scent of her shampoo. He knew he should let go, but it felt so right to hold her.

A pointed cough broke the moment. Noah stood in the doorway, eyebrows raised. Ava scrambled away, her face flaming as she fled the kitchen.

Noah's expression turned serious. "Don't get too close, Ethan. She's vulnerable right now."

"I'm not-" Ethan started to protest.

"I'm warning you," Noah cut him off. "She's different. Don't play with her emotions."

Ethan sighed. "I hear you, Captain," he said, only half-joking. He knew Noah was right, but he couldn't shake the memory of Ava in his arms.

The front door opened, and Liam strolled in, whistling. He carried a fancy envelope – a wedding invitation identical to the one Ethan had received.

Noah's serious mood evaporated. "Well, well! Back from your hot date, Romeo? How was the blind date? Should we start planning your wedding?"

Liam's grin widened, but he ignored the teasing. He held up the invitation. "My law firm got invited to the wedding of the year."

Ethan's mood soured. "I was invited too," he admitted.

Noah nodded. "They're inviting all the major investors. Dad got an invite as well." He turned to Ethan. "Speaking of which, he won't be happy when he finds out you're one of their biggest hotel investors."

Ethan shrugged. "I'm thinking of buying one of the hotels outright if they're willing to sell."

"Wasn't that Dad's idea?" Noah asked, frowning.

A slow smile spread across Ethan's face. "Maybe. But it won't hurt to have a little friendly competition. He's always thought I was a loser, that I couldn't do anything without him." Pride swelled in his chest as he thought of all he'd accomplished in secret – buying a hospital, this house, becoming a major investor in both his father's company and Starlight Hotels.

"Nobody is buying my father's company."

The quiet voice from the stairs made them all turn. Ava stood there, her face blotchy from crying but her eyes blazing with determination.

She descended the stairs, chin high. "None of you will buy my father's company," she repeated. "They belong to me, and I'm not selling. I'll fight for them until my last breath."

The room fell silent. Ethan felt a thrill run through him at the challenge in her voice. He'd always loved a good fight, and Ava's confidence was intoxicating.

He met her gaze, a smirk playing at his lips. "I always get what I want," he said softly. "And I never back down from a challenge." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving a stunned Ava in his wake.

---

Later that night, Ethan sat in his study, staring at the wedding invitation. He should be focused on business strategy, on how to outmaneuver his father. Instead, all he could think about was Ava.

A knock at the door jolted him from his thoughts. "Come in," he called.

Liam entered, looking uncharacteristically serious. "We need to talk about Ava," he said without preamble.

Ethan leaned back in his chair. "What about her?"

"Are you sure it's a good idea to keep her here?" Liam asked. "She's supposed to be dead, remember? What if someone recognizes her?"

"She's safe here," Ethan insisted.

Liam sighed. "For now, maybe. But what's the long-term plan? We can't keep her hidden forever."

Ethan had no answer. He'd been so focused on protecting Ava, on unraveling the mystery of why she was in danger, that he hadn't thought about the future.

"And what about this challenge over her father's company?" Liam pressed. "Are you really going to try to take it from her?"

Ethan's jaw clenched. "It's business, Liam. Nothing personal."

"It seemed pretty personal earlier," Liam countered. "Just... be careful, okay? This situation is complicated enough without adding more drama."

After Liam left, Ethan poured himself a drink and walked to the window. In the moonlight, he raised his glass in a silent toast. "Game on, Ava," he murmured. "May the best player win."