The Unbroken Heiress

han' s "investig

aff, a young woman who barely spoke English, was b

man was fire

officially

stomach. It was a complete fabrication, a

me, Chloe was present, perched on the edge of

resolved," Ethan announced, his t

with sarcasm. "You mean you found someone

t' s enough, Ava. The girl c

investigators' interrogated

is that Chloe has been subjected to undue stress

isbelief. "You want me

d slightly. "And if you refuse, I' ll have to reconsider Maya Rodriguez' s employment within the Thompson family' s

ng Maya, her loyal friend,

riumphant expression, and then at Ethan' s implacable o

et Maya suffer

o Chloe. "Chloe, I am... deeply sorry... that y

clutching her

va a warning

said, forcing the words out, each one

cept your apology. I know you didn' t mean to be

m. Instead, she tur

resolve. She w

n her own terms, at a

Foundation Gala was in two

lic stage to announce her se

ere, of course, c

ueled Ava' s

It was held on a lavish yacht

stars bright. Music pl

stark contrast to the demure blues

ld self, the confident musi

ange expression on his face. Surp

en more childlike, clung to Ethan' s arm, her eye

ith guests, her brother Daniel by

yacht moved further into the

e wind picked up, and the

lent squall h

n, waves crashe

c er

lurched

ing, stumbling to

d a scre

hen,

lammed into the

tilted pr

g, the cold, dark water

with a shock tha

ulling her under, tossing

afloat, her heavy go

ink nearby – Chloe,

n she s

water too, s

toward

ate moment, Ava though

' t even lo

d Chloe, grabbed her, and started pulling he

d Chloe

Ava to

t her with the for

, clear and undeniable

s expe

ling. The cold was s

ss enc

strange sense of calm washin

out of her. S

ut to let go, stron

. Her

water, his face grim. "Av

ds another life raft

g inside her had died in th

rapped in blankets, in a

e, his face etc

re awake.

e water, the cold

d, a vivid, symbolic dream

ss on the other. He was pushing her, gently but firmly, tow

mply stepped off the edge, falling, not into

fell, she f

ked at

iel," she said, her vo

va

he saved Chloe first. It' s because... I' ve decided

choice, her decisio

n the satisfaction of k

icly accuse him of

in a strange way, she was protecting him

led with a deep understanding. He

support you. You can come home. To Newport. The old esta

le tear escaping.

of all the times she had tri

ance... it wasn' t a ch

a lack of fe

iveness, his unwavering devotion – th

, irrevocably, done

hed away the last