Chapter 4: The Space Between Lies and Love

As Ava was engrossed in going over a steady stream of legal briefs, her office phone suddenly rang. Her eyes glanced over the caller ID. UNKNOWN. She almost let it go to voicemail, but an itch forced her to answer.

"You're quite the celebrity today," Roman joked in a low, amused voice from the other end.

She slumped into her chair attempting to sound calm. "Somehow, you always manage to call at the most inconvenient times."

"Or at the most important time," he replied. Playing nasty isn't all that Victor Malone is doing. I didn't anticipate him to move this quickly. There’s definitely more coming your way.”

“How considerate of you to warn me,” she replied sarcastically. “Why don’t you just skip the murky hints and tell me what I’m about to walk into?”

Roman hesitated, which wasn’t like him. She could hear the faint sound of typing in the background, and when he spoke again, his tone had intensified.

“Malone has connections everywhere. He’s not only targeting you in the press. He’s fishing for a formal inquiry into your firm. You’ll be issued a summon by tomorrow.”

Her stomach drowned. “You’re sure?”

“Yes. His team leaked the documents an hour ago. It’s a smear campaign, but he’s got enough to make it stick if you don’t respond fast.”

She closed her eyes shortly. Malone wasn’t going to stop until she was discredited—or until she walked away from Roman’s case.

“And what about you?” she asked. “What’s he got on you?”

“Everything,” Roman admitted. “But my reputation doesn’t matter. Yours does.”

She hated the sincerity in his voice, hated that it lowered the wall she’d fought so hard to build between them.

“I’ll handle it,” she responded, holding the edge of her desk.

Roman exhaled, the sound almost like a laugh. “Of course you will. But you don’t have to do it alone.”

Before she could answer, the line went dead.

By the time Ava arrived to Roman's penthouse later that evening, the load of the day had settled hard on her. She hadn’t intended on coming, in fact, sworn she wouldn’t reach here anymore. But Malone’s attack felt too neatly planned, too personal, and Roman was the only guy who could match him step for step.

Roman opened the door before she could knock. He looked like he’d been waiting for her, his tie gone, his shirt open at the collar.

“You don’t look surprised,” she said, brushing past him.

“Should I be?,” he asked, closing the door.

She turned to face him. “Why didn’t you tell me Malone was this connected?”

“You already knew,” Roman continued, his voice cool. “You’re just realizing how deep it goes.”

“And what about you?” she asked, coming closer. “Where does this end for you? What happens when Malone’s done tearing me apart? What happens when Evelyn finds a way to twist this to her advantage?”

Roman’s expression wavered, his confidence slipping for the first time. “I don’t know,” he said. “But I didn’t bring you into this to watch you get hurt. I’ll deal with Malone, with Evelyn—”

“No,” she interrupted. “We deal with them.”

His eyes softened, the intensity giving way to something softer. “Why, Ava? Why are you still standing here?”

Because despite everything, she didn’t want to walk away. She didn’t say it, but she felt the answer in the space that exists between them.

Hours later, they sat side by side in his study, surrounded by papers, legal pads, and Roman’s laptop. Ava observed a history of transactions that linked Malone’s companies to shell accounts, her mind spinning with possibilities. Roman studied her, his expression unreadable.

“You’re relentless,” he said finally.

She looked up. “And you’re distracting.”

He smirked, but it quickly faded. “I mean it. You don’t give up. Even when it’s easier to run.”

“Maybe I’ve had enough of running,” she replied without thinking.

Their eyes locked, and for a moment, the case, Malone, Evelyn—all of it—fell away. He reached out, his fingers brushing across hers on the table. She didn’t pull back.

“You’re not like her,” he said softly.

“Don’t,” she warned.

“I’m serious,” Roman insisted. “You’re not Evelyn. You fight for the right reasons, Ava. You care, even when you don’t want to. That’s what makes you deadly to guys like Malone.”

“And what about you?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “What do you want from me, Roman? The reality, not some well fabricated line.”

He hesitated, his hand hovering over hers. “I want you to see me. Not as the man Malone’s painting me to be, nor the antagonist Evelyn made me out to be. Just... me.”

The sweetness in his voice stunned her, piercing through the armor she wore so fiercely.

“Roman...” she began, but the sound of her phone vibrating shattered the moment.

She pulled away, glancing at the screen. It was Clara.

The call was quick and frantic. Malone had got out of hand. A fresh piece has gone live, accusing Ava of withholding evidence in Roman’s case. The story included doctored emails, but convincing—showing Ava allegedly seeking to bury vital evidence.

“I didn’t send these,” Ava said, her voice shuddering.

“I know,” Clara answered. “But Malone’s making it look like you did. The story’s everywhere.”

Ava hung up, her heart beating fast. She stared at Roman, her face set with determination.

“We’re out of time,” she said.

Roman nodded. “Then we hit back now.”

Before she could react, her phone chimed again. This time, it wasn’t Clara. It was Evelyn.

“Pick it up,” Roman urged.

Ava hesitated, then answered.

“Do you see what you’ve done?” Evelyn’s voice was harsh, almost enraged. “You’ve aligned yourself with a man who is poison. Do you fully understand what this will cost you?”

“Why don’t you tell me?” Ava asked, her voice ice cold.

Evelyn’s silence stretched out, heavy and burdened. When she eventually spoke, her tone was quiet and careful. “You think you’re untouchable because you’re my daughter. But Malone isn’t the only one who can destroy you, Ava. You’ve pushed my hand.”

The call went dead.

Ava stared at the phone, her right hand shaking.

Roman’s voice pierced through the silence. “What did she say?”

“She’s going after me,” Ava said, her voice firm despite the fear swirling inside her. “Not just my career. Everything.”

Roman’s jaw tightened. “She wouldn’t.”

“She would,” Ava responded, her voice shaking “And you know it.”

Roman’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and froze. Without a word, he handed it to Ava.

It was a news alert. The headline read: “Top Attorney Ava Sinclair Implicated in Sinclair Family Corruption Scandal—Exclusive Inside Story.”

Below it was a picture of Ava, going out of Roman’s penthouse.