The ballroom stood cloaked in dim light, its ornate chandeliers dulled to a flicker as if the room itself understood the tension hanging thick in the air. Ava stepped through the arched doors, her stilettos clicking against marble with a finality that echoed louder than the faint string quartet in the background. She wore a deep sapphire gown, the fabric catching the light like liquid midnight, her presence both magnetic and dangerous.
She hadn't come to make peace. Not tonight.
Across the room, Liam Mateo stood by the bar, tall and sharp in a charcoal suit. His head turned at the shift in the room's energy, and when his eyes landed on Ava, the glass in his hand stilled midair. He wasn't prepared for this. He never was when it came to her.
Ava walked forward, the crowd parting without question. Eyes followed her, whispers trailing like perfume, but her gaze was locked on one person the man who'd broken her heart and signed the contract binding them together.
