Chapter 7: The Evidence
Ethan didn’t sleep that night.
After Ava finally fell asleep in the guest room, he sat in his home office with his laptop open and a glass of whiskey untouched beside him.
He had already made several calls.
First, he contacted a private investigator he trusted — someone discreet and thorough. He wanted everything on Dr. Adrian Vaughn: medical complaints, past relationships, any reports that might have been buried.
Second, he reached out to his head of security and asked for all security footage from the executive floor of Carter Tower for the past month. He wanted to know if Adrian had ever come to the building unannounced or acted aggressively toward Ava at work.
Third, he began reviewing Ava’s schedule over the past year. He noticed the pattern immediately — how often she came in looking exhausted on Mondays, how she sometimes canceled plans last minute, how she had started wearing long sleeves even in summer.
Ethan leaned back in his chair and stared at the city lights outside.
He had spent eleven months respecting Ava’s boundaries. He had kept his feelings locked away because she was engaged. He had told himself that her personal life was none of his business.
But now he knew the truth.
And he wasn’t going to look away again. Not this time.
Around 3 a.m., his phone rang. It was the private investigator.
“I’ve already found some things,” the man said. “Dr. Vaughn has a pattern. Two previous girlfriends filed complaints — both later withdrawn. There are also rumors at the hospital about his temper, though nothing official. He’s very good at making problems disappear.”
Ethan’s jaw tightened.
“Keep digging,” he said. “I want everything. Medical records, witness statements, anything we can use.”
After he hung up, Ethan walked quietly to the guest room and checked on Ava. She was sleeping, but even in sleep, her face looked tense.
He stood there for a long moment, watching her.
For the first time since he had known her, Ethan allowed himself to feel the full weight of what he felt for Ava Sinclair.
It wasn’t just attraction.
It was something much deeper.
And now that he knew what she had been going through, he was no longer willing to stay silent.
He closed the door gently and returned to his office.
May you like
Tomorrow, he would begin building the case against Adrian Vaughn.
And he would make sure that the man who had hurt Ava would never be able to do it again.
