Chapter 28: Ghosts of the Past
Ava stared at the image again, heart pounding.
Dominic and Juliana. Hands linked. A year ago.
Before the deal. Before everything.
The email had no name. No signature. But it wasn't just a threat—it was a test.
How far could she trust the man who'd already rewritten her truth once?
Her phone buzzed.
DOMINIC:
"Lunch today? I'm outside your place. Bring that stubborn sass of yours."
She stared at the message.
Then at the screen.
And made a choice.
---
At the Café
Ava sipped her drink slowly, sunglasses shielding her eyes. Dominic sat across from her, relaxed, in a soft gray shirt that matched his name and mood.
"I wanted to surprise you," he said, "with tickets to Paris next month. Just us. No ghosts. No Grey Enterprises."
She smiled faintly.
And slid the phone across the table.
The photo was open.
Dominic's breath caught.
"That's… old."
"How old?" she asked, voice calm, sharp.
He ran a hand through his hair. "Almost two years. Before I saw you at that fundraiser. Juliana and I were… trying to fake something we'd already buried."
Ava said nothing.
"She was the one who wanted power. I wanted distraction. It was over before it ever started."
"But you looked in love," she said quietly.
He swallowed. "Because I didn't know what love was until I ruined it with you."
A pause.
Then he reached for her hand.
"I won't defend the man I used to be, Ava. But I'll fight for the man I'm trying to become. With you."
She let his fingers wrap around hers—but her eyes still held questions.
And somewhere inside her… a new fear grew.
Who sent the photo?
And why now?
---
Meanwhile… In a Hidden Location
Juliana stood in a dark room, fingers wrapped around a wine glass. Her phone buzzed.
A notification.
"Email delivered."
She smiled.
"I told you, Ava," she whispered to herself. "Some bonds never break."
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