Chapter 6: The Breaking Point
The gala finally began to wind down after midnight.
Ava was exhausted. Her body ached, and the emotional weight of the night had drained her completely. Adrian had been drinking more than usual, and his mood had grown increasingly unpredictable as the evening progressed.
As they prepared to leave, Adrian grabbed her arm — the same arm already covered in bruises.
“Let’s go,” he said. “I’m done with this circus.”
Ava winced but didn’t pull away. She knew better.
Before they could reach the exit, Ethan appeared again.
“Dr. Vaughn,” he said smoothly. “I was hoping to speak with Ava for a few minutes before you leave. There are some urgent scheduling matters we need to finalize for tomorrow.”
Adrian’s eyes flashed with irritation.
“Can’t it wait until morning?”
“I’m afraid it can’t,” Ethan replied. His tone was polite, but there was steel underneath. “It won’t take long.”
Adrian looked like he wanted to argue, but too many important people were still nearby. He couldn’t afford to look difficult in front of potential donors.
He leaned down and kissed Ava’s cheek, his fingers digging into her arm one last time.
“Don’t take too long,” he said quietly, the warning clear in his voice.
Then he walked away.
The moment Adrian was out of sight, Ethan gently placed a hand on Ava’s lower back and guided her toward the private elevator.
Neither of them spoke until the doors closed.
Only then did Ethan turn to her.
“You’re not going home with him tonight,” he said.
Ava looked up at him, her eyes wide.
“Ethan… I can’t just disappear. He’ll be furious.”
“I know,” Ethan said. “That’s why you’re coming with me. To my penthouse. You’ll be safe there.”
Ava hesitated. Every part of her had been trained to avoid making Adrian angry. But the exhaustion, the fear, and the relief of finally having someone on her side crashed over her all at once.
She nodded.
“Okay.”
Ethan’s penthouse took up the entire top floor of Carter Tower. It was sleek, modern, and surprisingly warm despite its size. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a breathtaking view of the Minneapolis skyline.
Ava stood near the window, arms wrapped around herself.
Ethan poured her a glass of water and handed it to her.
“Sit down,” he said gently. “You look like you’re about to collapse.”
Ava sat on the large sectional sofa. Ethan sat across from her, giving her space.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Ava whispered, “Thank you. For tonight. For not saying anything in front of everyone.”
Ethan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
“I wanted to,” he admitted. “I still do.”
Ava looked down at her hands.
“He’s not a bad person all the time,” she said quietly. “That’s what makes it so hard. Sometimes he’s kind. Sometimes he apologizes. And then… something sets him off again.”
Ethan was quiet for several seconds.
“How long has this been going on?”
Ava swallowed hard.
“Almost a year. It started small. Just words. Then it became… more.”
She didn’t look at him when she spoke. She couldn’t.
Ethan’s voice was low and controlled when he finally answered.
“I’m going to help you, Ava. But I need you to be honest with me. Can you do that?”
Ava finally looked up.
May you like
For the first time in months, she felt like she might actually be able to breathe.
“Yes,” she whispered.
